Hugo Keenan signed a two-year extension with Leinster and Ireland last week. This will see him stay at the Dublin-based province until 2028.
The full-back has scored 13 tries for Ireland in 46 caps and was a key part of the Lions side which won in the 2025 tour of Australia.
This list will show five of the key moments within his career, highlighting his rise to the top and the different sides he has been involved in.
Ireland U20s beat Baby Blacks for the first time
Hugo Keenan was one of a number of future Lions who took on New Zealand in the 2016 U20 World Championship. Andrew Porter, James Ryan and Keenan would all wear the Lions jersey in 2025, while many other top internationals featured in the team. Keenan played on the wing, while now Ulster winger, Jacob Stockdale, mostly featured at full-back
Keenan led the charge against the Baby Blacks, and a strong carry in the first 2 minutes won a penalty and got Ireland on the board. They would go on to win the match 33-24. Keenan scored a try in the final group game after this historic win to help Ireland win the group. They would go on to reach the final, where they lost to England.
Returning from Sevens duty with a bang and bags a fifth URC title
In 2024, Keenan made the decision to transition to Sevens to be a star name for the Paris Olympics. Ireland would narrowly lose out in the quarter-finals to Fiji. The full-back would return to Leinster duty for the 2024-25 season, and he was a key part of the success which saw Leinster lift their fifth league title in Keenan’s time with the province. Leinster also missed out on a Champions Cup by the narrowest of margins when they lost 37-34 to the Northampton Saints.
Unbeatable in the air against the Boks
The 2023 World Cup filled Irish fans with so much hope as they entered the tournament as World Number Ones.
The group game everyone was looking forward to was Ireland vs South Africa. Ireland would go on to win 13-8 against the team that would go on to defend their World Title.
Keenan showed his attacking ability early in the game with an outstanding carry early on, which pinned the Springboks back in their own 22.
Iconic try vs France on the way to a Grand Slam
The 2023 Six Nations was not only a huge tournament for Ireland as they would win the Grand Slam, but also set them up as World Number Ones going into the World Cup. Keenan was key to this success with a man-of-the-match performance in round one and tries in rounds two and three. The try against France was one of the best in his career. Ireland were restarting after a goalline dropout from France. After a ruck was set up, Connor Murray found Finlay Bealham, who looked as though he was going to play the ball to Murray on the loop again. Instead, he played an inside ball to Keenan, who came onto the ball at pace. After he broke through the middle, it was a three-v-two with an Irish player to either side of him. Keenan dummied and backed himself between Ntamack and Ramos to score the try.
Sealing the Lions series in the MCG
The moment of the Lions tour of 2025, no doubt came for Hugo Keenan in the second test. The Lions were under pressure from the hosts, who had come back from their poor test performance with a vengeance. They blew the Lions away in the first 30 minutes, finding themselves 23-5 ahead after 31 minutes. The Lions mounted a comeback, but it was only in the final minute that Keenan crossed the line to give the Lions the win and win the series in the first two tests.
