Stade Toulousain will have to contend with a notable absentee in Sunday’s Champions Cup semi-final. Blair Kinghorn, who suffered a knee injury against Castres last weekend on matchday 22 of the Top 14, will miss the next few weeks of competition, starting with the big match against UBB in Bordeaux.
We’re one down, and Blair’s injury is a bit of a shame, but that’s the way it is
when interviewed by broadcaster Canal + in the middle of the derby against Castres, did Ugo Mola see the loss of his full-back in the short term or was he already dreading the absence of his versatile number 15 for the next few weeks, starting with the Champions Cup semi-final in Bordeaux? Clearly a bit of both, as the Scotsman’s body language on the Stadium pitch from the 7th minute onwards was far from reassuring. And seeing him complain about his right knee after a violent collision in an aerial duel with Geoffrey Palis, and talking at length with the club’s doctors as he left the pitch, we could already have feared an injury more alarming than a simple blow.
Three days later, the bad news is out: Blair Kinghorn will miss the Champions Cup semi-final against Union Bordeaux-Bègles. As revealed by RMC, the best back in the 2025 Tournament is suffering from a slight sprain of the medial collateral ligament in his right knee and will be out of action for at least three weeks, depending on the player’s speedy recovery. This is a major blow for Stade Toulousain, but also and above all for the player, who could also miss a potential final (against Leinster or Northampton) if he wins against UBB (final on 24 May 2025 in Cardiff). On Sunday, there was still some hope that he would be at the Matmut Atlantique. But the latest results were negative, and the player did not attend the training session scheduled for Tuesday.
Another major absence for Toulouse
Last year’s winners are once again without a regular starter on the eve of their first major finals fixture. Already without their captain Antoine Dupont and third-ranked No9 Naoto Saito (who is to extend his contract in the Ville Rose), Stade Toulousain will travel to the Matmut Atlantique without one of the totems of their recent success.
While there is no doubt that Thomas Ramos will replace Saito in his preferred position, leaving Romain Ntamack, who was left untouched last weekend, in the wings, two players are in contention: Matthis Lebel and Dimitri Delibes. Matthis Lebel and Dimitri Delibes were both first-teamers against Castres and showed that they were in great form. Ugo Mola also has the option of starting Juan-Cruz Mallia, who has never disappointed in major matches in a Toulouse shirt. As a reminder, last season in the final against Leinster, it was the Argentinian and the French international who faced the Irish. Matthis Lebel scored the decisive try in extra time. Unless the managerne decides to launch his X factor Ange Capuozzo… Back in training three weeks after his ankle injury, the Italian is in contention for a place in the semi-finals.
In the final analysis, the Red and Black may have lost an important player to UBB on home soil, but the depth of their squad means they can maintain their ambitions.
