Blair Kinghorn faces a race against time to be fit for the British and Irish Lions’ first Test against Australia because of the sprained knee sustained on Wednesday.
Fears that the Lions would see another full-back ruled out of the tour following Elliot Daly’s return home with a fractured forearm were eased following a positive scan on the injury incurred against the ACT Brumbies.
Ireland’s Jamie Osborne has been called up as cover given that Kinghorn is not due to resume training until next week.
Lions defence coach Simon Easterby insists the Scotland star, regarded as first choice to fill the number 15 jersey against the Wallabies on July 19, will be given every chance to show he is ready.
“Blair didn’t look great against the Brumbies and it was the right thing to do to pull him off. But the scan has showed up way more positive than we’d hoped originally,” Easterby said.
Fixture
British & Irish Lions
AUNZ XV
British & Irish Lions
“We’re hopeful that he’ll take some part in training next week and then it will be a little bit of a waiting game in terms of whether he’s available for the first Test.
“It will be one of those things that we’ll just have to take day by day. Like a lot of these injuries throughout a tour, we’ll give guys an opportunity to try and prove their fitness.
“And who knows? If it works out, great. If not, we’ve got good guys who are able to step up.”
Chief among those “good guys” is Ireland’s Hugo Keenan, who has Saturday’s clash with an AUNZ Invitational XV to impress head coach Andy Farrell ahead of the series opener.
A calf injury prevented Keenan from making his debut for the tourists until their fourth match on tour, against the New South Wales Waratahs, and to add misery to misfortune he picked up a bug that Farrell said explained his underwhelming performance in Sydney.
“Hugo has had a bit of illness and has not been able to take part fully in preparation for each game so this is a perfect opportunity for him after having a good few days without any sickness,” Easterby said.
“He is feeling a lot better and stronger and it’s a great opportunity for him to stake a claim for next week.
“Whatever system he’s in he’s a bit of a goalkeeper at the back, he talks brilliantly, his comms are good and his actions are better. All the things you want a 15 to be in defence, he’s all of that. He’s got everything.”
