Hugo Keenan is set to return to the Ireland rugby sevens squad ahead of this summer's Olympic Games in Paris.
Leinster full-back Keenan lined out for the sevens team for three years before switching to 15s at test level in 2020. He made his debut for Andy Farrell's 15s team in the COVID-delayed 2020 Six Nations.
Reports on Wednesday now suggest that Keenan is set to reverse that move ahead of this summer's Olympics, in a major boost to Ireland's medal hopes.
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Hugo Keenan back in the mix with Ireland Sevens team
Murray Kinsella of The42.ie broke the news on Wednesday afternoon that Hugo Keenan could be playing with the Ireland rugby sevens team as soon as next week's World SVNS Series final in Madrid.
Keenan is expected to line out for Leinster in this weekend's Champions Cup final against Toulouse in London - though it appears as though that could be his final 15s game for some time.
9 March 2024; Hugo Keenan of Ireland during the Guinness Six Nations Rugby Championship match between England and Ireland at Twickenham Stadium in London, England. Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile
If the reports in The42 come to fruition, Keenan would miss not only the final stages of the URC season with Leinster but would also be missing for the Ireland 15s' two-test series against the Springboks in South Africa in July.
The Olympic rugby sevens tournament has already received a major boost, with France 15s scrum-half Antoine Dupont - the world's finest 15s player - joining up with the host nation's sevens team.
Whispers have circulated in recent months that some of Andy Farrell's Ireland 15s team could be tempted to join up with the sevens team. Hugo Keenan was the obvious choice given his history with the team, though Mack Hansen has also publicly expressed his interest in joining up with the sevens side.
The final qualification phase for the Olympics will take place in late June, with Great Britain and South Africa among those vying for a place. Ireland currently sit as one of those in the mix for a medal place with the bookies and their chances will have been boosted by the reported arrival of Hugo Keenan into the fold.
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