Hugo Keenan adding a playmaking threat to solidity and consistency

Wed, 31 Mar, 2021 - 05:55

Brendan O'Brien

Hugo Keenan does a good ‘aw shucks’ but all the modesty in the world can’t hide the fact that the Dubliner has made the epic journey from bit-part player to Mr Indispensable in the space of six months.

The full-back was the only Irish player to play every minute of this year’s Six Nations. In 11 Ireland appearances stretching back to his October debut, the 24-year-old has only once been asked ashore before the final whistle.

Leinster clearly feel the same about this unassuming talent. The last time he failed to finish a game for his club was back in late November of 2019.

And he clocked in for another full 80-minute stretch in last weekend’s Grand Final against Munster.

Keenan doesn’t claim to have some special sauce. If there’s a recipe for what he’s done then it’s no more exotic than a collection of good coaches and colleagues like Keith Earls, Andrew Conway, and Jacob Stockdale feeding into each other’s knowledge banks.

Of course, if it was that simple then everyone would be at it.

Keenan is on the kind of run that rugby players can usually only dream of. Injuries so often cut purple patches short. Selection can interrupt flow, too. If he has any bumps and bruises right now then he’s keeping them hidden. This is too good a ride to stop.

“I’m still a young buck so I’m not battered and bruised like some of the older fellas in here,” he laughed. “It’s only really my second season of getting a good run of games. Thankfully my body is holding up. Injuries come and go.

“It’s a bit of luck with them as well, some of the contact injuries. But there’s great rehab and physios and programmes to keep you going and you do get your time off. I got a bit of time off over Christmas so they do look after you. But yeah, I dunno.”

Next up for Keenan and Leinster is the visit to the RDS of Toulon for this Friday’s round of 16 Champions Cup game and his performance against Munster last Saturday bodes well for him as a player and both Leinster and Ireland. Keenan has been rock solid at 15 this season but Leinster and Ireland are encouraging an environment where players — whether Keenan or second row Ross Molony — can jump in at first receiver and he got his hands on an amount of ball five days ago.

It’s a role he is comfortable with thanks to the rugby he played at 10 up to fifth year in school and the time spent with the Ireland sevens programme and that focus is obvious when he opens up on the full-backs he has always admired.

“One guy who I always loved was Ben Smith, the New Zealand full-back growing up. He had a bit of everything didn’t he? That all-round game. So he was always someone I admired. I suppose that footballing full-back style that is more linked into Beauden Barrett.

“You see it more and more,” he explained. “You see Stuart Hogg filling in at 10, Elliott Daly and the likes. It’s something, if 15s can do it, it adds that extra bit and it’s always a big bonus so I’m just trying to work on it.”