Keenan's World Cup focus only started at end of Six Nations

Although there were several occasions over the course of his 30 appearances to date under Andy Farrell that Hugo Keenan could have focused his mind on the World Cup in France, he made sure not to look too far into the future.

THINKING OF WORLD CUP: Hugo Keenan is an ambassador for Inishella, BWG Foods new quality Bord Bia approved Irish meat brand available in their nationwide network of SPAR, EUROSPAR, MACE, LONDIS, and XL stores and supermarkets.  Pic: ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan

He made his senior international bow just over 12 months on from their quarter-final elimination at the 2019 edition of the tournament, but it was only within the past year that Hugo Keenan has allowed himself to get excited about playing for Ireland at the Rugby World Cup.

Following an impressive run of form for Leinster, Keenan was selected to start Ireland’s Six Nations Championship clash with Italy at the Aviva Stadium on October 24, 2020 – a fixture that was postponed for almost eight months because of the Covid-19 pandemic. He scored a brace of tries from the left-wing in that encounter, but has subsequently established himself as Andy Farrell’s first-choice full-back.