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Hugo Keenan reportedly set to miss Bok series to pursue Olympic dream
Ireland and Leinster fullback Hugo Keenan is set to follow the likes of Antoine Dupont and Michael Hooper in making a switch to rugby sevens for the Olympics in July, according to a report by the42.
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Journalist Murray Kinsella has reported that Saturday’s Investec Champions Cup final against Toulouse will be the 27-year-old’s last match in the 15-player format for the time being before he commits to Ireland Sevens, who he represented earlier in his career.
The report says that Keenan could be available for the Grand Final of the HSBC SVNS Series in Madrid at the end of May, as well as the Rugby Europe Sevens Championship in Croatia in June.
The move not only means that the fullback will be unavailable for the remainder of Leinster’s United Rugby Championship season, but he will also miss Ireland’s Test series against world champions South Africa in July, which will be problematic for Andy Farrell.
Ireland finished the regular SVNS Series in second place following a silver medal finish in Singapore, to go with their bronze medals in Perth, Los Angeles and Hong Kong. The addition of Keenan, arguably the best fullback in the world, could boost their chances of an Olympic gold medal should he transition back to sevens well.
Keenan’s focus will be solely on the Champions Cup final on Saturday at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which he is poised to start in after returning from a hip injury at the weekend in a loss to Ulster. The clash may not be the last time he encounters Dupont in the coming months.
The 39-cap Ireland international was an integral part of the Ireland Sevens set-up between 2017 and 2019, playing out-half, and helped the side earn ‘core status’ in the series in 2019. Since then, Ireland have gone from strength to strength, as has Keenan in his 15s career.
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The men’s Olympic Sevens will take place between July 24 and 27 at the Stade de France.
Great player for both Ireland & Leinster. I imagine he'll take to 7’s like a duck to water.!