Blair Kinghorn delays Lions flight after going distance in extra-time thriller

Blair Kinghorn delayed his flight to Australia as he recovered from his Top 14 final exertions in Paris before joining up with the British and Irish Lions.

The Scotland full-back played the full 100 minutes at the Stade de France as his Stade Toulousain side defeated Union Bordeaux Bègles 39-33 after extra time in a pulsating encounter.

The game did not finish until around 11.30pm French time on Saturday and Kinghorn was due to fly to Australia on Sunday morning but managed to push the flight back.

Blair Kinghorn, centre, celebrates with Toulouse team-mates Thibaud Flament, left, and Jack Willis and the Bouclier de Brennus trophy after winning the French Top 14 final against Bordeaux-Begles at the Stade de France. | AFP via Getty Images

“I had a flight originally scheduled for 9am but in the end, I was able to move it to 3pm, so it's perfect,” said Kinghorn, who is the only member of the Lions squad based in France and will be the last player to link up with Andy Farrell’s original tour party.

The late end to the French season meant Kinghorn missed the Lions’ send-off game against Argentina in Dublin and also the 54-7 win over Western Force in Perth on Saturday. He is also unlikely to be involved when the tourists take on Queensland Reds in Brisbane on Wednesday but could come into contention for the game against the Waratahs in Sydney at the weekend.

“I've been so focused on Toulouse stuff that I've not really thought about it too much,” added Kinghorn who spoke to reporters after the Top 14 final sipping a bottle of beer and wearing just a pair of club coloured red and black swimming trunks. “It feels a bit weird, to be honest. It's only like the last couple of days when I've had to pack and everything, it's like, ‘all right, I'm heading out there now’.”

Lead changed hands six times

Kinghorn played on the wing as Toulouse were crowned French champions for the third year in a row after a frenetic final in Paris. The lead changed hands six times and the holders were 10 points clear with 11 minutes remaining before Bordeaux came storming back to take the match into extra time at 33-33. Jonny Gray, Kinghorn’s Scotland team-mate, came on for Bordeaux during the extra 20 minutes but he couldn’t prevent Toulouse winning.

Toulouse's Blair Kinghorn in an aerial joust during the Top 14 final match against Bordeaux-Begles in Paris. | AFP via Getty Images

Two penalties in the second half of extra time from the imperious Thomas Ramos won the game for Toulouse who were also hugely indebted to English flanker Jack Willis who scored a try double during the 80 minutes. Willis’ international career stalled following his move to France because England won’t pick overseas players but Kinghorn backed his team-mate for a Lions call-up should he be required.

“I think he's been playing unbelievable rugby,” the Scot said. “But he was a realist. He knows that there's a lot of competition in that back row and he's not playing international rugby. But I'm sure if there's an injury he can potentially get called out because he's in great form at the moment.”

This one feels sweet

For Kinghorn, it has been another hugely successful campaign. He moved to Toulouse from Edinburgh in December 2023 and won a Champions Cup and Top 14 double in his first season. He’s now followed it up with a second successive French title, although this one proved far harder to win. Last year, Toulouse defeated Bordeaux 59-3 in the final in Marseille.

“This one feels sweet after probably not the best season we've had, even though the stats and all that back it up that we've had a great season,” he said. “It doesn't matter, the stats, if you don't win something, it's not a successful season.”

“I'm over the moon, it's amazing,” he added.

Toulouse's French full-back Thomas Ramos celebrates with the Bouclier de Brennus trophy after the Top 14 final. | AFP via Getty Images

While his team-mates celebrated back in Toulouse with the Brennus Shield, Kinghorn set off for Australia and will land on Monday morning. The Lions lost to Argentina in Ireland but looked more cohesive in the win over Western Force in Perth, albeit against lesser opposition.

It’s carnage

“It's always tough coming together,” said Kinghorn, one of seven Scots in the Lions squad. “Everyone expects you to be like a great team from the get-go, but you don't have those connections. So it's good to see that they bounced back and got a great win.”

Kinghorn also said he hoped that three Edinburgh brothers who are rowing to Australia are able to attend a Lions game. Lachlan, Ewan and Jamie Maclean who, like Kinghorn, are former Edinburgh Academicals players, are rowing 9,000 miles across the Pacific Ocean to raise money for clean water projects.

“It's nuts what they're doing,” Kinghorn said. “They're sleeping 90 minutes, getting up and rowing. It's carnage. They're hopefully going to try and make it for one of the games. But obviously with mother nature you never really know what's going to happen.”