Kinghorn relishing life outside comfort zone in Toulouse ‘I’ve got a lot more to give,’ vows Konkel after injury nightmare
After becoming stagnant at Edinburgh, full-back is thriving and eyeing his first silverware
ALAISSEZ-FAIRE approach to rugby was always going to suit Blair Kinghorn, about as relaxed as any professional rugby player you are likely to encounter, and the Scotland full-back is thriving since moving from Edinburgh to Toulouse at the turn of the year.
He has been a virtual ever-present since joining the French giants, and will start today when the Rouge et Noir face Harlequins in the Investec Champions Cup semi-finals.
Kinghorn is part of a Galacticos back division which includes World Player of the Year Antoine Dupont, his French team-mates Romain Ntamack and Thomas Ramos, Argentina wing Juan Cruz Mallia and Italian star Ange Capuozzo, to name just a few.
If Kinghorn was part of a formidable back three alongside Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe at Edinburgh, Toulouse’s squad has truly an embarrassment of riches in every department.
Speaking for the first time since making the move, Kinghorn said he feels at home in the city.
“It’s been a great experience so far,” the 27-year-old said.
“It all happened very quickly but since the Six Nations finished I’m feeling more settled here, not having to go back and forwards to Scotland.
“I feel like the club has been very good for me and I feel like I’m developing as a player. I’m really enjoying it, it’s awesome.”
He admitted the move has taken him out of his comfort zone, both on and off the rugby pitch, and acknowledged that is something he needed to experience having become “stagnant” at Edinburgh.
“I’m out my comfort zone but I feel like it’s a good thing, for sure,” he said.
“I didn’t know what to expect, really, especially with a club of this magnitude. It’s very exciting but it’s also a pressure.”
Kinghorn said he felt he was not getting the best out of himself latterly at Edinburgh and alluded to becoming complacent within the confines of the Scottish Rugby set-up.
“I just feel that I could have been better than I was,” he admitted.
“That’s probably a bit on me as well, not working hard enough potentially, not having to fight week in, week out for a spot in the Edinburgh team.
“I feel that having a change up, getting into an environment where the coaches don’t know you and you have to prove yourself all over again. It’s not a kick up the arse but it’s a sink or swim moment.
“It’s not like I didn’t work at my time in Edinburgh I worked really hard, but maybe just the extra 10 per cent of using my brain more.
“Getting out of your comfort zone can make you better, and that was the driving factor. I didn’t want to just sit and be a good player. I wanted to move and improve and become a great player.”
Part of becoming a great player involves winning trophies. Kinghorn can take a step towards that goal today.
These are the games he has longed to play in. They are days Toulouse, record five-times winners of the top European prize, expect not just to feature in, but to win.
Kinghorn added: “It’s a massive European knockout game, something that I’ve not been able to play in in my career.
“The feeling at the club is that everyone wants to win and progress. The mentality here is that everyone wants to win trophies.”
He said the club’s pedigree as a European superpower was part of the lure.
“Whenever you dream about rugby games you dream about big knockout European games or big domestic knockout games, so it was a big influence in the decision to come here.
“The quality of the players in the team was also a big draw to me.
“I know I am potentially not going to be playing week in, week out if I am not performing and I feel like that is only going to drive me to become better.”
The 53-times capped full-back reiterated his commitment to Scotland in the long term, while in the more immediate future he is yet to speak to coach Gregor Townsend about whether he will tour in the summer.
Given the Top 14 final – a match Toulouse will expect to be in – is slated for June 28, and the
I just feel that I could have been better. That’s probably a bit on me as well, not working hard enough potentially, not having to fight week in, week out for a spot in the Edinburgh team. It’s not a kick up the arse but it’s a sink or swim moment
developmental nature to Scotland’s summer schedule, Kinghorn should expect some time off after a long season.
But in the future, he hopes to bring some of what he is learning in Toulouse into the national setup.
“I feel like this is only going to develop me into being a better player for Scotland,” he said.
“The stuff I learn here is going to help me excel at my own game and then I can bring that, hopefully with some good form for Scotland.”
He had to adjust to travelling back and forward between Toulouse and Edinburgh during the “fallow” Six Nations weeks, which the homebased players have off.
“It’s something I’ll have to get used to, travelling back and forward during a campaign, but my commitment is still there for the Scottish jersey,” he added.
Back to the task at hand, and if Kinghorn – who scored 23 points in the quarter-final thrashing of Exeter – can help Toulouse overcome Glasgow’s last-16 conquerors Harlequins, he could dare to dream of an appearance in the final.
Asked what it would mean to him to win the Champions Cup, Kinghorn replied: “It would be mental I reckon!
“It is something if you’d asked me a year ago that I thought potentially would never happen.
“So it would be absolutely mental, but one game at a time. It would be awesome to play in the semi-final and if we win just keep on trucking.”
JADE KONKEL admits there were times over the past 15 months when she wondered if she would ever return to the rugby pitch.
When Konkel suffered a serious ankle injury on duty for Harlequins last November, it was the third time the Scotland No.8 had been felled with the same problem.
“It was syndesmosis in my ankle,” Konkel said. “I first did it in February 2023 and had surgery then, and did it again last May and also spiral fractured my fibula, so had to have that plated and screwed.
“Then this time, because I’d done it three times and because of the plates and the screws, it was a bit more complicated again.”
Konkel has been desperately unlucky to suffer the same injury on three separate occasions.
“The surgeon hadn’t seen anyone do it three times, let alone three times in one year,” she said.
“It was all different mechanisms as well. The first time I got landed on funny, the second one was an outside twisting motion, and the third was an inside twisting motion.”
When she suffered the injury in November, Konkel hoped she would be fit for the Guinness Women’s Six Nations.
It was not to be, with problems adjusting to the feeling in her ankle causing delays to her return to the field.
Konkel, who was born in Inverness, and brought up on the Black Isle, admitted there were some dark times during her latest recovery.
“It’s felt like a very long 15 months,” she said. “Within that there’s been the comebacks, then coming back out, so there’s been a fluctuation of emotions. The highs and lows throughout have taken their toll.
“The stress around it being the third injury and the trauma my ankle had gone through definitely put questions in my head [about stopping].
“Once I’d done it in November, I thought I’d be back for the Six Nations but the feeling with all the foreign objects in my leg was really uncomfortable.
“I did wonder ‘how is this going to feel on the pitch?’ and if I’d be able to change direction, or how I’d go through those uncontrolled movements of being twisted. All those things go through your head because there is so much metal and it is quite stiff.
“With the great support team I’ve got, everyone was very reassuring. We didn’t know how the ankle was going to heal but we had to take each day as it came.”
Konkel was rewarded for her persistence with a try-scoring appearance from the bench as Quins beat Ealing Trailfinders in Women’s Premiership Rugby last Sunday.
She was delighted to get back on the pitch.
“There was a big feeling of relief,” she said. “I was pleased to be back and build a bit more confidence.”
Now, Konkel wants to focus on getting as many minutes on the field before the end of the domestic season, and get a good run into the
WXV competition with Scotland this year.
The 30-year-old, who was appointed Harlequins captain at the start of the season, said: “For me it’s not just banking minutes, it’s about putting in performances to get myself where I need to be, but also to finish the season on a positive with Harlequins.”
If she can find her best form again, Konkel’s return will be welcomed by Scotland head coach Bryan Easson.
In Konkel’s absence, Evie Gallagher has established herself as the first choice at No.8, while teenager Alex Stewart was one of the shining lights from a disappointing Six Nations campaign.
Konkel, an 11-year Test veteran with 62 caps, welcomes the competition for places.
She added: “I’m really pleased we’ve got more back-row coming through.
“It keeps us all pushing and that’s what you want. That’s what’s going to make us better as a nation.”
And Konkel hopes to extend her Scotland career beyond next year’s World Cup, which they missed a chance at securing qualification for after losing to Ireland in their final Six Nations match. However, Scotland should earn a place through WXV.
Konkel said: “I think over the last 15 months you just don’t know, but I’d like to continue playing after the World Cup. As long as I’m competing, fit and enjoying it, I’m going to want to keep going for as long as I can, then take the step away when it’s right for me.
“I still feel like I’ve got so much more to give in a Scotland shirt. I’ve been in the set-up since 2012 [capped in 2013] and there have been constant changes for the better, and you want to keep being part of that.
“I’ll know when the right time is but I’ve got a lot more to give.”
It’s felt like a very long 15 months. Within that there’s been the comebacks, then coming back out, so there’s been a fluctuation of emotions. The highs and lows throughout have taken their toll