Hat-trick heroics just start for ‘great talent’ Kinghorn – Mike Blair

Becoming the first Scottish player to score a Six Nations hat-trick is just an appetiser for what Blair Kinghorn can achieve at the top of the game, according to assistant coach Mike Blair.

Blair Kinghorn celebrates with a spectator at full time at BT Murrayfield. Picture: SNS/SRU.

The Edinburgh full-back, who is being deployed at wing by the national team, notched a treble in the 33-20 win over Italy, the first Scot to do so in a championship game since Iwan Tukalo, pictured, against Ireland in 1989.

Prior to that the last Scottish Five Nations hat-trick was scored by the legendary joint-leading tryscorer Ian Smith, who has a unique hat-trick of hat-tricks to his name, against Wales in 1924, then the Welsh again and France in the Grand Slam year of 1925.

Kinghorn also became only the third player aged 22 or younger to achieve the feat in the championship, joining illustrious company alongside Ireland’s Brian O’Driscoll and Wales’ George North.

“The great thing with Blair is, I remember reading in a programme a few months ago, that it was 80-odd games he’d already had for Edinburgh. For a 22-year-old that’s a crazy number,” said Scotland skills coach Blair yesterday.

The former Scotland scrum-half and skipper added: “He’s building up a lot of experience in his career. Physically he’s a great talent. The height that he’s got, the speed that he’s got. And great handling ability as well. He’s gaining in experience and getting comfortable at international level.”

While there was satisfaction with Scotland’s attack against Italy, as Stuart Hogg and Chris Harris added to Kinghorn’s heroics, Blair conceded that losing three late tries had taken the gloss off a bit.

“I think so,” he said. “We were 33-3 up before 60 minutes so we’re really positive about that. But then that last 15 minutes we had that yellow card and gave up a lot of possession. It hits home that if you don’t get things right teams will expose you. A few decisions in defence, energy lacking, it was a disappointing last ten minutes certainly.

“But we’re aware of that and what our standards need to be in the other games.”

The ease with which Italy cut 14-man Scotland open in those closing minutes wasn’t pretty to watch but Blair insisted: “There’s not a concern. [Defence coach] Matt Taylor does a fantastic job with the guys, he leaves no stone unturned and he’ll look at that and different strategies. There have been a few soft tries but there’s nothing wrong with the system, it’s just making sure they’re ready and making smart decisions under pressure.”