Blair Kinghorn not in team to face Ulster in his scheduled final Edinburgh match

Blair Kinghorn’s Edinburgh career is effectively over after the Toulouse-bound full-back was not named in the team to face Ulster on Saturday in what was scheduled to be his final match for the club.

It was announced last Thursday that the 26-year-old Scotland international would be making a mid-season transfer to the French Top 14 champions after this weekend’s BKT United Rugby Championship encounter in Belfast, but he has been omitted with what Edinburgh described as “a minor hip injury sustained in training earlier this week”.

English-born South African full-back Tim Swiel, who joined the Scottish side in the summer from Japanese club Toyota Shokki, will make his debut at Kingspan Stadium in place of Kinghorn.

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Elsewhere in the backline, 22-year-old academy graduate Harry Paterson is handed his first start of the season after Scotland wing Duhan van der Merwe suffered a concussion in training.

Ben Vellacott gets the nod at scrum-half, with Ali Price dropping to the bench, while hooker Dave Cherry is out injured and lock Grant Gilchrist is rested. Scotland back-rower Hamish Watson is on the bench after recovering from a fractured cheekbone.

“We’ve made a number of changes this week – a few unfortunately down to injury – but that’s really exciting for the guys who come in and get their opportunity,” senior coach Sean Everitt told Edinburgh’s website.

“We, and I’m sure Blair, would have liked to see him play his last game for the club, but he has picked up a minor knock in training and unfortunately misses out – it’s great to see Tim Swiel step up at full-back having been made to wait for his chance.

“We’re lucky enough to have strength and depth at other positional groups where we’ve been able to rotate, while we welcome back experienced players like Bill Mata, Jamie Hodgson, Hamish Watson and Mark Bennett, who will all be champing at the bit to make an impact on Saturday night.

“It’s set to be another massive test but one we’re looking forward to. We travel to Belfast with plenty of quality in our ranks.”

Edinburgh are looking to bounce back from a disappointing defeat at home to Benetton last weekend.