Hugo Keenan

Hugo Keenan is a professional rugby union player known for his consistent performance as a full-back for Leinster and the Ireland national team. After winning the 2014 Leinster Schools Senior Cup with Blackrock College, scoring a try in the final match, Hugo Keenan went on to make his professional debut for Leinster in 2016 against Zebre. His early career saw him excel as a wing for the Ireland under-20 national rugby union team, where he started all matches in both the 2016 under-20 Six Nations and the 2016 World Rugby under-20 Championship. During the World Rugby under-20 Championship, Keenan played a pivotal role in Ireland’s historic victory over New Zealand.

Keenan’s career progression expanded into the rugby sevens format, joining the Ireland national rugby sevens team camp in early 2017. He showcased his scoring ability in the 2017 Grand Prix Series, contributing multiple tries. After making his international debut for the Ireland national team on October 24, 2020, in a Six Nations match against Italy, where he scored two tries, Keenan quickly established himself as a key full-back, starting 33 of Ireland’s subsequent 36 tests. He later returned to the Sevens set-up in 2024 to represent Ireland at the Paris Olympics, becoming the only player to have competed in rugby sevens at the Olympics and been selected for The British & Irish Lions.

Further cementing his elite status, Keenan was named in the initial British & Irish Lions squad for their tour to Australia in 2025. He made his debut for the Lions against the Queensland Reds on July 5, 2025, and delivered a series-clinching try in the second test against the Wallabies, contributing to the British & Irish Lions Test Series victory that year. In 2025, he also added another Triple Crown to his impressive list of achievements.