Hugo Keenan doesn’t just have an opposing on the field and off the field manner. If the first is relaxed, laid back and inconspicuous, the second adds speed and timing and has a swagger that can’t be missed. Had an English player scored a last-ditch Lions series winning try (which he did in Australia) it would be part of his name in every media outing. His semi-final official title would be something like ‘Hugo Keenan, the Lions star who clinched the series in Australia with
a brilliant try at the death, has today etc etc. ‘. But then this was a player Andy Farrell has valued as much as, if not more, than any other who was not quite in the limelight as the 2019 Rugby World Cup disappeared into the rearview mirror. Not least because despite languishing in the Leinster semi-reserve through 2019/20 – getting lots of URC but very little Champions Cup game time – the Ireland coach was concerned about the full-back slot. Rob Kearney was first-choice
no15 at RWC2019 with Jordan Larmour as deputy; Larmour played no15 for the first three post-RWC games, Jacob Stockdale played two. It was at that point Farrell called a change and installed Keenan at full-back. A player who, to that point, had played just one Champions Cup game and even that had been on the wing. There followed an 11-game run of Ireland caps before he was selected for a Champions Cup game at full-back – and even that was only his fourth appearance in
the competition. The Irish coach wasn’t telling the Leinster management that he knew full-back selection criteria better, he was demonstrating via selection policy. Signs on, while there may have been those waving the Lions off from the airport on the 2025 Lions Tour wondering who the Test full-back might be. Those who knew Farrell understood Keenan was the coach’s first name on the teamsheet. There might be 14 other positions requiring burning the midnight oil, but no15 was nailed on. Good decision as it turned
out too! “It’s sort of cool looking back on it,” says Keenan of his first return down under since, “but there’s no point dwelling on it now. “There’s more memories to be made, and it’s a big challenge for us again this week and over the next few weeks. It’s an exciting new sort of tournament and a new sort of quest.” Ireland won’t be visiting the scene of his heroics in Melbourne less than a year ago but are in Sydney preparing for their
Nations Championship opener against Australia on Saturday. “I’m itching to get back into the green jersey,” he says having missed the 2026 Six Nations with a fractured thumb. “There’s nothing like representing your country. It was something I’ve always dreamed of. I’ve probably said it to you before, that I never thought I’d get to do it once. “I’ve 46 caps now but when you’re out of the game for six months and then you miss another Six Nations, and you’re out of the team
for a while, you do have your doubts. “You wonder if there’s going to be another chance? And you never know what’s sort of around the corner for you. “So it’s definitely made me more hungry to get back into the squad and I’m buzzing just to hopefully get an opportunity to play and wear that green jersey again.” There can hardly be a more inconsequential place to get injured than a thumb; if it were almost any other sport, the player could strap it
up and still be good to go (Jack Grealish at Euro2020!). “I’d never really dislocated something, and sometimes you can just pop it back in. “But then when the doc started playing around with it, you can tell. I’ve had enough broken bones that I can tell when something’s broken. “Generally, the rule for a broken bone is six weeks to heal and Six Nations is seven weeks long and you’re always thinking, ‘Oh, I can scrape a week or two off that.’ “But there’s
no cheating mother nature at the same time and having been out for a good while with the hip and whatnot there was probably no point in rushing me back – just getting me right.” Keenan turned 30 years-of-age a fortnight back and watching the last of the Six Nations campaigns from his twenties pass by was a reminder they won’t be on offer for ever. “It was definitely tougher watching that France game though, when you’re losing and when it’s a big defeat, and
you feel like you can help the lads and help the group. “It was easier watching when the group’s going well. I loved being over in Twickenham for that England game. That was class. I loved seeing that Scotland performance and finishing well and getting a Triple Crown. “Watching the trajectory of the group was cool to see. I was obviously involved at the start for the first week and was sort of keeping my finger in the group here and there. “I was brought
in after the England game, and was in the Aviva for one of the open sessions as well, and did a little bit of rehab with the physio Emma in here as well. “I very much enjoyed seeing the success of it, but I would have rather been out there as well.” Click here to sign up to our sport newsletter, bringing you the top stories and biggest headlines from Ireland and beyond
Hugo Keenan, Ireland rugby, fractured thumb, 2026 Six Nations, Nations Championship, Australia, Sydney, Andy Farrell, full-back, Lions