Kinghorn’s Knock Leaves Lions Scrambling
The British & Irish Lions should be feeling confident after beating the ACT Brumbies 36-24, but a fresh injury blow to Blair Kinghorn has turned excitement into anxiety. The Scottish fullback limped off early in the match after taking a heavy knock to his left knee. He sat out the rest of the game on the sidelines, an ice pack rarely leaving his leg, sparking concern among fans and coaching staff. Although head coach Andy Farrell tried to keep spirits up by calling the injury "not serious," a scan will decide if that optimism stays or evaporates.
This couldn’t come at a worse time for the Lions. Their backline is looking dangerously thin with Elliot Daly already sidelined by a fractured forearm. Kinghorn had slotted in as the squad’s only other natural fullback, making his absence a real headache for coaching decisions ahead of the upcoming Test against Australia on July 19. Farrell admitted the team didn’t want to risk him any further: “Blair got a bang on the knee. He carried on for quite a bit but there was no need to keep him going.” The next days will be tense.
Lions Face Tough Choices With Backline Options
When Kinghorn went down, Marcus Smith stepped up—and wasted no time making his presence felt. He ran in for a try and brought a lively edge to the Lions’ attack that had been missing in previous weeks. The catch? Smith is also the team’s backup fly-half. If Farrell pushes him into a fullback role, he suddenly risks a gap at fly-half, where Smith’s skills as a playmaker are also needed.
The other names swirling around as possible fullback fills include Ireland’s Hugo Keenan, Wales’ Mack Hansen, and England’s Tommy Freeman. But none are true fullbacks at international level—each would be shifting out of his regular position just to patch up the line. It’s a tough call, and Farrell is clearly feeling the pressure.
The Lions’ mixed performance against the Brumbies only puts more questions in the air. On one hand, they showed better overall control of the game, especially compared to their shaky previous fixtures. Maro Itoje set the tone as captain and Finn Russell had the team ticking in attack, but the squad still coughed up an early try and let the Brumbies stay in it longer than needed. That kind of inconsistency is exactly what you don’t want with a Test series on the horizon and your best backs dropping like flies.
For Lions fans, the next few days are about nervously waiting on Kinghorn’s scan—and hoping someone can step up fast. The squad has less than two weeks before that opening whistle blows against Australia, and in rugby, that’s barely enough time to regroup, let alone find new stars in unfamiliar roles.
