The knee injury which Hugo Keenan sustained in Ireland’s 36-0 win over Italy over a week ago remains Ireland’s most pressing injury concern heading into their third-round match in the Six Nations against Wales at the Aviva Stadium next Saturday (kick-off 2.15pm).
While Iain Henderson limped off during the first half of the Ulster’s defeat to Ospreys in Swansea, Keenan is more irreplaceable than most.
During Andy Farrell’s time as the Ireland head coach, no player has played more minutes (2,916) for the side than the ever-reliable, 36-times capped fullback. Keenan has started 32 of Ireland’s 36 Test matches since February 2021.
Keenan didn’t train with the rest of the squad in their two-day get-together at the end of last week although assistant coach Paul O’Connell said the player had not been ruled out of the Welsh game. However, if there is any concern about his wellbeing the likelihood is he will be afforded an additional two weeks to be fit for the round four trek to face England in Twickenham.
What’s more, had Mack Hansen or Jimmy O’Brien been well and fit then either of them would have been the logical alternative to have been earmarked for this eventuality. But Hansen suffered a dislocated shoulder in Connacht’s New Year’s Day win over Munster while O’Brien, for whom this really would have been a case of opportunity knocking, is sidelined for “a number of months”, according to Leinster due to a neck injury.
The likeliest options to replace Keenan at number 15 against Wales would appear to be Ciaran Frawley or Jack Crowley. Although Frawley has started more games for Leinster at inside centre and outhalf for Leinster, the 26-year-old Skerries utility back has played half a dozen games for his province at fullback this season.
Crowley has also flitted between the three positions in his fledgling career, and moved to fullback when Harry Byrne was brought on for Keenan against Italy, but the Munster player has enjoyed an extended run at number 10 for province and country in establishing himself as Johnny Sexton’s immediate successor.
Other options would be to play Jacob Stockdale or Jordan Larmour there, or even one of them being named on the wing, with James Lowe shifting to fullback, where he had played for the Chiefs and Maori All Blacks.
Apart from the possible call at fullback, it appears as if Farrell and his assistant coaches are operating with an almost full bill of health, thus leading to some particularly tricky calls in midfield and on the bench, after Garry Ringrose, Bundee Aki, Peter O’Mahony and Tadhg Furlong all returned to training at the end of last week.
In the absence of Ringrose, who was ruled out of the opening two wins over France and Italy with a shoulder injury, Aki and a rejuvenated Robbie Henshaw renewed their old Connacht partnership to great effect against France before Stuart McCloskey came in and replaced Aki effectively against the Italians.
Apart from fullback, and potentially midfield, it would be no surprise if Ireland reverted to the starting XV which kicked off the defence of their Six Nations title, namely by restoring the fit-again Furlong, Tadhg Beirne, O’Mahony and Aki, as well as Josh van der Flier and Jamison Gibson-Park, who were on the bench against Italy.
Whoever misses out from Aki, Henshaw and Ringrose in the starting midfield is likely to be compensated with a place on the bench. Presuming Beirne is restored alongside Joe McCarthy, and the O’Mahony, Van der Flier and Caelan Doris back-row is reunited, then retaining a 5-3 split among the replacements could leave Farrell and company with a difficult decision in choosing two players from James Ryan, Ryan Baird and Jack Conan.
