Hugo Keenan describes it as a bit like the first day back at school. That combination of giddy excitement, nervous anticipation and a slightly foreboding sense of the unknown.
This being his decision in May to rejoin the Ireland men’s Rugby Sevens Olympic squad, who had already qualified for Paris more than a year in advance. He was returning to a game he hadn’t played in almost five years.
He’s settling back in just fine though, having already played three tournaments in Madrid, Croatia and, just last weekend, in Hamburg, and last month was selected as part of the Team Ireland 12-man squad. It was in Keenan’s own words “now or never”.
“Going into Madrid, I knew 12 out of the 13 lads who were over there, and chatted to a good few before,” he says. “From minute one they welcomed me in with open arms, they were brilliant. The transition was easier in that regard because of how nice they were, how friendly everyone was, how accommodating they were and helpful to get me back up to speed.
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“I was putting pressure on myself, I knew there was ultimately a decision to be made, and I’d have to justify that selection. And pressure is pressure, no matter what way you look at it, and I think I hold myself to a high standard, no matter what form of game or no matter what level it is.”
Speaking at the Team Ireland hotel in Blanchardstown, from where the Sevens squad will depart for Paris next week in advance of their opening pool matches on July 24th (two days before the Games officially begin), Keenan also talks about Paris being a sort of homecoming.
After featuring for Ireland in the Under-20 Six Nations and World Cup in 2016, Keenan was first called into Sevens squad in 2017. He played in 17 tournaments through to late 2019, helping them on the path to Tokyo qualification, after which he was called into Andy Farrell’s Ireland 15s squad, soon to make the fullback position his own.
He didn’t decide to try out again until the week before Leinster lost their Champions Cup final against Toulouse at the end of May, knowing it would mean surrendering his place on the current Ireland tour to South Africa for the chance to win an Olympic medal for his country.
“I always sort of had it in the back of my mind that I’d love to do it, but it all was going to depend on how the season panned out, and whether my body was right, because I had a few injuries hanging around after the Six Nations.
“I was also just so focused on the European Cup with Leinster and the Six Nations with Ireland, and anybody who tried to talk to me about the Sevens I wasn’t really considering it. It was only a week or two before the Champions Cup that I made a decision because ultimately it was too hard to turn down, too good of an opportunity and experience for me.
“It was tough not being involved in Leinster closing out of the season with them, and after that, I suppose tough not being down in South Africa because you’d love to test yourself against the best team in the world, the World Cup champs, in their back yard.
“But that’s the sacrifice and decision I had to make, if I wanted to put my hand up for selection for the Olympics. Hopefully in a month’s time now the decision will have paid off.”
The 28-year-old says the rising standard and consistency of the current Sevens squad, and the full blessing of Farrell, also influenced his decision: “That’s definitely going to be our aim going over there, to try get Ireland a medal at the Olympics, which is certainly one of the main reasons why I did it.”
Keenan says he’s always been a huge fan of the Olympics, juggling rugby with athletics throughout his schooldays, and although older brother Robert was the star athlete in the family – and still the Blackrock College 100m record holder – he’s always been drawn to the Games.
“Ultimately it is the pinnacle of sport, tests the best athletes, it’s such a cool tournament and event to be a part of.
“And I’ve spoken before about what Sevens had done for me in the past in developing me as a player. I’m hoping that this will be a little jump-start in the middle of my career to kick me on and improve different areas.”
