Kinghorn comes of age in time for Six Nations
CELEBRATING his 21st birthday should not be the only highlight for Edinburgh full-back Blair Kinghorn this week.
He gets the key to the door on Thursday but two days earlier is being tipped for a call-up to Scotland’s Six Nations squad.
The way he played in Edinburgh’s dramatic 34-33 European Challenge Cup win over Stade Francais on Friday evening that secured his side a home quarter-final must surely have cemented his place.
Looking sharp throughout, he was a constant thorn in the side of the French outfit in attack and never put a foot wrong in defence.
He also kicked the winning conversion that gave his team a slender one-point lead after Junior Rasolea’s try four minutes from time.
Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend, who was watching from the stands, could not have failed to be impressed.
‘I’m not sure if any of us have given ourselves a boost for Scotland by the way we played against Stade, so we will have to just wait and see,’ said Kinghorn.
‘I feel like the team’s playing good rugby, and with the attacking shape we play, the back three and centres are getting the ball in a bit more space. I’m really enjoying my rugby at the moment and I just need to keep working hard.’
Kinghorn is well aware that just three months ago his club coach Richard Cockerill did not think he was ready to play for Scotland because he made too many errors.
Now Cockerill thinks he has improved so much that the 20-year-old could make his international debut against Wales in the Six Nations opener if need be.
So why does Kinghorn think his game has improved so much in such a short space of time to make his coach change his mind?
‘I am working harder on all aspects of my game and trying to work the errors out of my game,’ he said.
‘For me, it’s decisionmaking under pressure, knowing I can also execute skills under pressure and I feel I can do that better now.
‘The main thing is to stick with your gut instinct. If you don’t back yourself, if you go in 50/50, that’s when you’re going to make more errors. You’ve got to go in 100 per cent.’
Edinburgh head coach Cockerill said ‘the penny had dropped’ for Kinghorn faster than he had expected and he was a much better player than three months ago.
‘Some people learn quickly and some people learn a bit slower,’ said Cockerill. ‘To be fair to Blair, he’s listened, he’s worked hard and the penny has dropped quicker than it has done before with others.
‘He is making good decisions. He’s maturing, he’s listening and he’s working hard.
‘If he has to play in Cardiff against Wales, then he is ready.’