Blair Kinghorn on winning Scotland place back and reunion with old coach

The full-back found himself left out of the Scotland 23 at the start of this year’s Six Nations, and says the experience made him more determined to win his place back.

Kinghorn, 29, returned to the team for the final three games of the tournament and has now rejoined the national squad after a much deserved summer break.

As he says himself, he has played a lot of rugby over the past three years. A glittering start to his career in France saw him help his club to a European and domestic double. More trophies followed and he was further honoured with a call-up by the British & Irish Lions.

Relentless schedule took its toll

Having helped the Lions clinch a Test series victory in Australia in summer 2025 it was straight back into another Top 14 season. Something had to give and national coach Gregor Townsend recognised that the relentless schedule had taken its toll, mentally as well as physically.

“I think at the start of the Six Nations season last year, I wasn't playing probably at the level Gregor wanted me to, so then I wasn't picked,” said Kinghorn, who joined up with Scotland this week for the autumn leg of the Nations Championship. “I think it's great that we've got such depth in our squad that we've got real battles all over in every position. It brings the best out of everyone in training.

“It's like at Toulouse, if you're not playing well, someone else is going to come in and play. So it just makes you hungrier, makes you work harder because you want to be performing at that best level. And I think it's great for our squad to have such great depth.”

It was Tom Jordan who took the 15 jersey for the Six Nations games against Italy and England. Kinghorn went back to Toulouse, dug in and produced a fine performance against Stade Francais which convinced Townsend to recall him and he was selected ahead of Jordan for the Wales, France and Ireland games.

“I mean, it's always tough if you're not playing,” said Kinghorn. “Everyone wants to play, especially at the start of tournaments and big games. But if you're not playing well enough, you're not playing well enough. And that's the great thing, I think, having competition in the squad, where if you're not playing well, you're out.

Kinghorn starts at stand-off

“I went back and I played for Toulouse and we had a good win against Stade Francais away and then Gregor thought I'd played well enough and I managed to start the last three games in succession. You've got to just be playing at a high level. If you're not, you've got to accept that you won't be playing.

“And that's good that the coaches do that. It makes it healthier in the squad.”

Kinghorn is also feeling healthy, having just recovered from a calf strain. He returned to the Toulouse team on Saturday - starting at stand-off - and helped them beat Perpignan 38-33, chipping in with three conversions before making way for Romain Ntamack.

He is feeling the benefits of having the summer off and getting a proper pre-season under his belt. Toulouse’s success since he joined has seen them involved in the Top 14 final which takes place at the end of June. There was no break for him last year when he went straight to the Lions tour so it seemed like a sensible move to allow him to miss Scotland’s July Nations Championship games against Argentina, South Africa and Fiji, especially with next year’s World Cup on the horizon.

A proper rest and a proper pre-season

“Gregor and I had a conversation. He thought it would be best for me just to stay at home and recover after it had been a bit of a tough season coming back straight from Lions and then going straight into a season. So it was good to kind of have a proper rest. It wasn't necessarily about having a proper off-season, it was more about having a proper pre-season.

“Because last year I had three weeks off and then it was kind of straight into the Top 14, so this season I managed to have that four or five weeks off and then have an actual pre-season, which is good. So then you feel a bit more hungry going back into games. The body's kind of feeling good, so it was nice to have a proper pre-season.

“I've played a lot of rugby the last three years.”

Mike Blair reunion

Scotland open their autumn campaign against New Zealand on week on Saturday which means a reunion with Mike Blair, Kinghorn’s former coach at Edinburgh, who is now in charge of the All Blacks attack and assistant to Dave Rennie.

“It's awesome for him,” said Kinghorn. “Obviously having been coached by Mike here in Edinburgh, he's such a great coach, so it's amazing that he's managed to get that job and I'm really pleased for him.

“I found he was really good with me when he was at Edinburgh, getting the best out of what your strengths are.”

The seasons may be long but Kinghorn is revelling in life in the south of France.

“I feel really at home there, I think. I feel settled in, got married there, had a baby there. So, you know, it's part of us now, so I feel very settled.

“[I had] no French before I went, but I'm all good now. I can handle myself.”

The lifestyle, he says, is amazing and so is the weather.

“Bit of a shock coming back here,” he smiles. “It's f***ing freezing!”