Opinion: Kinghorn needs to hit the ground running Down Under, and do so quickly

He does so on the back of a pulsating final which saw his side, Stade Toulousain claim the Bouclier de Brennus trophy for the 24th time. The Scottish utility back played all 100 minutes of an enthralling encounter as the Stade Ernest-Wallon club dramatically put aside Union Bordeaux Bègles 39-33 in extra time. 

Kinghorn will have to hold off on the celebrations, as he is likely already on his way to Australia, which means there will no more pieces missing from the tourist side’s puzzle. 

A number of hours prior to the match in the French capital the Lions had already completed their first match Down Under and did so with an emphatic 54-7 victory over the Western Force in Perth. And Farrell and his back room staff will already be planning for the Queensland Reds on Wednesday, as Kinghorn is yet again set to miss it. 

The warm-up matches against the Australian provinces are there for players to show their worth to head coach Farrell for the opening Test match July 19. Kinghorn will more than likely land in Australia on Monday, and that’s at the earliest opportunity. 

This means that he’ll miss out on the Reds match in Brisbane, and will quickly need to get up to speed with everything so he can be made available for the New South Wales Waratahs match next Saturday. 

Prior to the first Test, this contest at Allianz Stadium, South Sydney will be one of two more matches that Kinghorn will have to show off his qualities. But could lifting silverwate with Toulouse a week earlier hinder his chances of being a Test Lion? 

There’s two ways to look at Kinghorn’s absence. The first way is that Farrell has got a lot of trust in him to have the ability of wearing the No 15 jersey in the opening Test match. The other is, he’s the best 15 available. Hugo Keenan may get his first outing of the tour against the Reds on Wednesday, but fitness maybe to the detriment of his Test chances. 

Elliot Daly who scored twice against the Western Force, showed he still has the ingredients to be a Test Lion, and could be the biggest threat to Kinghorn’s chances. The other is Marcus Smith, but the Harlequins’ man didn’t have the best showing against Argentina and when he came on in Perth on Saturday, he played at fly-half. But Smith’s X-Factor still makes him a favourite to start at fullback. 

Farrell who wouldn’t have been watching the Top 14 final live, would’ve woken up on Sunday morning prior to travelling to Brisbane to read that Kinghorn came through the incredible Top 14 final unscathed. Which is good news, but will he have enough time to get going Down Under.

One thing is for sure, he may not even need all the remaining games (bar Queensland Reds) against Super Rugby opposition, as after a dominant Top 14 campaign, it wouldn’t be a shock to see him on the starting XV lineup already for the opening Test match at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium (July 19).