Hugo Keenan praises those who have stepped up in Andy Farrell's absence
Michael Bolton
Ireland full-back Hugo Keenan has praised Ireland's coaching staff as they chase a third Six Nations title in a row.
Ireland secured a Triple Crown with a hard-fought victory over Wales last weekend, keeping their chances of a second Grand Slam in three years alive.
This campaign has seen the team without their head coach, Andy Farrell, who is managing the British and Irish Lions this summer, with Simon Easterby taking charge until November.
So far, it has been business as usual, and Keenan has praised the structure for the smooth transition.
"That is a testament to the coaches who have stepped up," says Keenan.
"As well as Andy's foundations that he has built, we are a serious squad. Andy has been there since 2019 and before that, and a large part of the group has remained, with good consistency built over those years.
"We spoke after the World Cup that it is not a new cycle, it is a continuation of where we are at, and we want to keep evolving and keep growing the game in Ireland.
"There are years of work that have gone into the performances you have seen in the last three weeks.
"It is a little strange not having him in. You do miss his leadership, but the coaches are doing brilliantly, and a lot of the leadership group are stepping up as well."
After a mixed November series, which saw a defeat to New Zealand and unconvincing displays in wins over Argentina and Australia, questions were asked of the squad.
However, many of those seem to have been answered so far in the Six Nations, with the Leinster full-back saying confronting what went wrong was important.
"We knew over November that we did not perform to the best of our abilities. We probably weren't as sharp as we could have been, and we definitely did not get the results we were looking for.
"It was never panic stations. We knew we just had to tweak a few things like our discipline, our accuracy, and our composure.
"We did well in reflecting on November when we came into Six Nations camp. We took a lot of those learnings and were keen to make sure a lot of those mistakes were not going to happen again."
Since making his debut in 2020, Keenan has made the number 15 jersey his own, establishing himself as one of the best full-backs in the world.
2024 was Keenan's most disruptive year due to injuries, having missed two Six Nations games, as well as the Champions Cup quarter-finals and semi-finals for Leinster.
Now fully fit this season, the 28-year-old appreciates being back on the pitch, having seen some of his teammates and friends forced to end their careers through injury.
"You want to be playing in all the big games, whether it is with Leinster in the European Cup or URC. You want to be playing in the Six Nations and the international tests.
"It was a little frustrating. I picked up a few small injuries, missed a few games here and there, and probably didn't get that consistent run of matches I was hoping for at the back end of last season.
"I am lucky not to have been out for a huge period of time. I know friends and teammates who have had a much worse run of injuries than me.
"You look at the likes of Conor O'Brien and Dan Leavy, who have had to retire because of injuries. Lads who have had frustrating times—one of my best mates, Will Connors, has played there for a few years and has missed months on end.
"I was getting too down about it. It is just about making sure you take that time and get your body right to stay on top of your rugby.
"We are lucky to have great medical staff—physios, doctors, and strength and conditioning coaches—who help you get back to peak performance and fitness."