Kinghorn not special target but out-half always under pressure, says Jack Conan

Blair Kinghorn is going to get the same treatment as every other out-half that Ireland play against, says Jack Conan.

The Edinburgh playmaker has earned his first Six Nations start for Scotland in Saturday's 4.45pm kick-off in Dublin.

Gregor Townsend’s men are playing for a top-half finish, while Ireland can wrap up a Triple Crown with an outside shot at the title.

Despite not getting a championship start prior to this, 25-year-old Kinghorn has 30 caps to his name and comes in for Finn Russell, who drops to the bench.

"I know he hasn’t played a lot of international at 10 but he’s played a good bit this season with Edinburgh and they are going particularly well in the URC," number 8 Conan said.

"I’m sure he’ll be looking forward to the challenge ahead of him.

"We haven’t spoken as a team about it yet because we’re only just back in together now.

"But it’s definitely an area we’ll go after no matter who is in that position because you always go to put pressure on the opposition 10 to make the play early, to show those pictures early in the game.

"I’m sure there’ll be lots of conversations about it over the next few days."

Conan was part of the squad that beat England last weekend, coming on to score a decisive try which put Ireland out of reach.

Fellow replacements Rob Herring, Robbie Henshaw and Finlay Bealham played their parts too but the Wicklow man was eager to point out the role played by those who didn’t make the match-day squad.

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