Sir Clive Woodward: Why Blair Kinghorn injury would expose the big mistake Andy Farrell has made

Everyone connected with the Lions will be hoping the injury which forced Blair Kinghorn from the field against the Brumbies on Wednesday isn’t too serious.

The Scotland star has long been pencilled in as my starting full back for the Tests with Australia, despite him arriving late on tour after winning the Top14 with Toulouse.

That hasn’t changed, but the Lions and coach Andy Farrell will be sweating on his fitness now. If Kinghorn isn’t fit to take on the Wallabies, I think the Lions have a big gap at No 15. Such a scenario would also bring Owen Farrell’s call-up further under the microscope.

I do have genuine concerns about the 15 shirt. When Elliot Daly was forced home with a broken arm just seven days ago, after playing the first two games Down Under at full back, Andy Farrell clearly felt he had enough back-field cover in Kinghorn, Hugo Keenan and Marcus Smith. Tommy Freeman can also play there.

That’s why he got on the phone to his son. There has been a lot written and said about Owen’s selection. As the man in charge, Andy Farrell was entitled to pick whoever he wanted and there can be no doubting Owen’s international pedigree. Some questioned his form and fitness, and that had merit.

However, the bigger issue here is that going for Owen Farrell – who can only play fly-half or centre – ran the risk of leaving the Lions exposed at full back.

I had no issue with selecting Owen, but I think it was a mistake not to call up a specialist No 15 as well as Farrell Jnr. 

Hindsight, of course, is 20:20. If Kinghorn hadn’t limped off in Canberra, would we be having this debate? The answer is no. But as a coach, you have to be prepared for everything.

I have a saying that any coach is the best coach in the world when they have their first-choice team available. It’s when circumstances go against you that you see what you’re made of. Farrell has already been in this position in Australia, after losing Tomos Williams and Daly to tour-ending injuries. Let’s all cross our fingers Kinghorn doesn’t also have to fly home.

The first Test with Australia on July 19 is a little over a week away and that time will pass quickly. If Kinghorn isn’t fit for the series opener, then Ireland’s Keenan will have to play.

I wouldn’t normally see that as too much of a concern, but Keenan hasn’t been at his best so far. And I think that’s putting it kindly.

He went into the tour with a calf injury which forced him to miss Leinster's United Rugby Championship final and the first two Lions matches in Australia. When he recovered, he was due to start against Queensland Reds but had to pull out due to illness. Keenan only has 50 minutes against the Waratahs under his belt so far.

There is no doubt he is underdone, and that could be a problem because I think it’s too late for the Lions to call up another full back. Realistically, they wouldn’t arrive in time to be considered for at least the first Test and maybe more. That’s a blow for a specialist 15 such as Freddie Steward, who had a great game for England in their first Test win over Argentina.

Australia will be licking their lips at this situation. I don’t think Smith can play 15 in the Tests. Simply put, a Lions series requires out-and-out specialists in their respective positions and Smith, for all his qualities, is not that when it comes to full back.

The Australians would look to target him, as the Brumbies did when as soon as he replaced Kinghorn in the 25th minute, they kicked in his direction. In fairness to Smith, on that occasion he took the high ball brilliantly.

The warm-up games on this tour have felt, in my opinion, like something of a phoney war. All the focus is on the build-up to the Tests. Of course, that is the case on all Lions tours to some degree. But in South Africa and New Zealand, there is more jeopardy in the provincial matches when it comes to the results. Even with a few issues, the Lions have won all their games in Australia so far.

No 15 aside, I think Farrell will be relatively pleased. The team which played in Canberra looked very close to a potential Test side. One of those looking to impress was Ollie Chessum and he had a very good game at blindside flanker. Chessum can play lock and No 6, but he did his chances of starting the Tests in the back row no harm with his display.

Maro Itoje, Ellis Genge and Finn Russell also stood out, but that is no real surprise given their quality. All three will be in the first-Test team. The Lions scored five tries, but that could easily have been seven or eight given the number of times they were held up over the line. That’s an area to improve on, as is the contact area, and I’m sure Farrell won’t have been happy to concede four tries.

The phoney war rumbles on but the big battle is now around the corner. Without a top full back, it’s one the Lions could well lose.