Blair Kinghorn suffers late Toulouse heartache as Scotland boss watches on anxiously ahead of big week

Key Scotland back Blair Kinghorn played the full 80 minutes for Toulouse on Sunday night, but appeared to come through their late defeat by Bayonne unscathed.

The 27-year-old is one of Scotland’s most influential players and head coach Gregor Townsend will no doubt have been watching the Top 14 clash with some trepidation ahead of the national team’s upcoming assignment with world champions South Africa.

Bayonne scored a late try at the Stade Jean-Dauger to prevail 12-8 over the Top 14 title-winners of last season and while Toulouse remain at the league’s summit, their advantage is now just one point over second-placed Bordeaux Begles.

Toulouse lost to Bayonne in the Top 14 on Sunday evening. | AFP via Getty Images

Kinghorn kicked a 74th-minute penalty that put Toulouse ahead going into the final stages of the game, only for Sireli Maqala to score his second try of the game two minutes from time to hand Bayonne the spoils.

Kinghorn will now fly into Scotland on Monday to join up with his team-mates in preparation for facing South Africa on Sunday at Murrayfield. The ex-Edinburgh man will be joined by other English and French-based players such as Finn Russell and Ben White, who were unavailable for last Saturday’s 57-17 win over Fiji due to the fixture falling outside of the designated international window.

Kinghorn’s arrival will be a particular boost for Townsend given he has injury concerns over two of the backs that shone for him against Fiji.

Winger Darcy Graham scored four tries in that match at Murrayfield, but left the pitch late on for an HIA assessment. He will examined further in the coming hours.

Toulouse's Blair Kinghorn will now join up with Scotland. | Getty Images

Full-back Kyle Rowe, who deputised for Kinghorn at full-back, picked up a hamstring strain and is expected to be ruled out for the Boks match, while his Glasgow Warriors teammate Kyle Steyn has already been left out of the squad due to injury.

Scotland have three further matches in the Autumn Nations Series, all at Murrayfield. They take on South Africa on Sunday, then Portugal on Saturday, November 16, before closing off against Australia on Sunday, November 24.