**Rugby Evening Round-Up: Lions Suffer Selection Blow, Feyi-Waboso Receives Two-Match Ban**
Rugby fans have been dealt a significant update this evening as key squad changes and disciplinary news shake up preparations for the upcoming international fixtures. The British and Irish Lions will be without Scotland’s Blair Kinghorn for the start of their tour, while England’s Immanuel Feyi-Waboso has received a ban, jeopardising his summer Test campaign.
Blair Kinghorn, Scotland’s versatile full-back, has been ruled out of the first match of the Lions’ tour in Australia. Kinghorn recently returned from a knee injury, appearing in Toulouse’s Top 14 semi-final victory over Bayonne, which propelled the French club into the championship decider against Bordeaux-Begles. His comeback, seeing him play for 60 minutes, was a boost for Toulouse but has created a scheduling headache for the Lions.
The Top 14 final, taking place at the Stade de France on 28 June, overlaps with the Lions’ tour opener against Western Force at Perth’s Optus Stadium. This scenario means Kinghorn, who already missed the warm-up clash against Argentina, remains unavailable for the initial fixture in Australia. Even if he emerges unscathed from the French final, Kinghorn is also expected to be absent when the Lions face Queensland Reds on 2 July due to delayed travel and recovery.
Observers anticipate Kinghorn will reinforce the Lions once the first Test against Australia nears on 19 July, considering his impressive record for club and country over the last year. However, these disruptions may impede Andy Farrell’s plans as the squad seeks cohesion ahead of a challenging tour.
Meanwhile, England have been forced to reassess their options following the suspension of Immanuel Feyi-Waboso. The pacey winger was shown red during a narrow 24-26 defeat to a France XV, his first return after a shoulder injury that kept him sidelined since December. The incident, a high tackle on French fly-half Antoine Hastoy, saw referee Hollie Davidson upgrade her initial yellow card to red after review, citing a high level of danger with no mitigating factors.
The resulting disciplinary process has concluded with a two-match suspension—less than the standard three matches, due to the World Rugby Coaching Intervention programme, often referred to as ‘tackle school’. If Feyi-Waboso completes this, he may be eligible for selection in England’s final summer tour match versus the United States on 19 July, but he will definitely miss both Tests against Argentina.
Feyi-Waboso’s ban has also cast doubt over any late involvement in the British & Irish Lions squad, extinguishing, for now, any faint prospects of a call-up. The official statement from the independent Foul Play Review Committee clarified: “The sanction has been accepted by the player. In reviewing all evidence, it was determined that Feyi-Waboso’s tackle was dangerous and merited a two-match suspension contingent on attending the Coaching Intervention Programme.”
Reflecting on the situation, England head coach Steve Borthwick described Feyi-Waboso as “gutted” following his early departure against France. “Manny is a good guy who gives everything. It didn’t go the way he hoped today, and he’ll have the team’s support. We’ll await the formal decision and respond accordingly,” he stated after the encounter.
Borthwick now looks ahead to England’s summer tour, with the opening two fixtures against the Pumas in La Plata and San Juan. Argentina are buoyant after claiming a statement 28-24 triumph over the Lions in Dublin, a result which has framed the South American side as formidable opponents. “Argentina are committed, passionate, and ruthless on transitions,” Borthwick commented, “and our players are enthused by the opportunity to test themselves against such a quality team.”
England’s experimental side against France saw six debutants earn valuable experience, as the team surrendered a late lead to lose 26-24 at the Allianz Stadium. Borthwick viewed the defeat as a learning opportunity: “In Test rugby, a single penalty or mistake can prove decisive. While we aim to win every time, these moments help our players develop for the future.”
As the summer tours approach, both the Lions and England must now regroup and adapt to squad changes, seeking to turn adversity into opportunity in the coming weeks.