All you need to know about Hugo Keenan, the exceptional fullback

All you need to know about Hugo Keenan, the exceptional fullback

Claudia Kogi
March 6, 2024 at 1:22 PM

A few players have come from nowhere to conquer the world through hard work and dedication. Among them is Hugo Keenan, a skilful Irish fullback who has recently made headlines as one of the most compelling rugby players.

Hugo Keenan with his parents
The professional rugby player, Hugo Keenan, with his parents. Photo: @hugokeenan96 (Modified by author)
Source: Instagram

Table of Сontents:

Who is Hugo Keenan? He is a professional rugby union player who plays fullback for the United Rugby Championship club Leinster and the Ireland national team. Discover his biography, net worth, salary, and career stats here.

Hugo Keenan's profile summary

Full name

Hugo Keenan

Date of birth

18 June 1996

Age

27 years as of February 2024

Place of birth

Dublin, Ireland

Nationality

Irish

Ethnicity

White

Parents

Avril and Paul

Siblings

Andrew, Robert, Naomi

Height

6 feet 1 inch or 185 centimetres

Weight

203 pounds or 92 kilograms

Partner

Emma Hempenstall

Profession

Professional rugby player

Current team

Leinster and the Ireland national team

Net worth

$1 million to $5 million

Salary

$507,000

Social media

Instagram

Hugo Keenan's biography

Hugo Keenan (age 27 as of February 2024) was born on 18 June 1996 in Dublin, Ireland, to Paul and Avril Keenan. He comes from a rugby family, joining his uncles and grandfather, who also played rugby.

His grandfather, Robert Dowley, was a prop with Dolphin and Munster. His uncle Keith won the 1985 FAI Cup with UCD and played for Shelbourne and Shamrock Rovers.

Hugo Keenan's father, Paul, is a former BDO managing partner and a co-founder and executive chairman of Capnua Limited. He also helped set up the UCD academy and was the club's president. Hugo's mother, Avril, was a good hockey player with Railway Union and is vice-captain of Delgany Golf Club.

Facts about Hugo Keenan
Top 5 facts about Hugo Keenan. Photo: Seb Daly/Getty Images (Modified by author)
Source: Original

Does Hugo Keenan have siblings?

The professional union rugby player has three siblings. His elder brother, Robert, holds the 100m record in Blackrock and plays on the wing for UCD's AIL team. Andrew, his younger brother, is an outstanding basketball player and the Irish Spikeball champion. Hugo also has an elder sister, Naomi, who is a professional doctor.

Hugo Keenan's career stats

Hugo played rugby in high school and college before turning profession. He has only played for Leinster and Ireland national team. The fullback/winger joined Leinster in 2016 and has played 63 games as of March 2024, scoring 65 points in the United Rugby Championship, including 13 tries.

Internationally, the professional athlete starred for Ireland's Under-20 side before debuting for the national team in October 2020 in a Six Nations match against Italy. He played on the wing and scored two tries in a 50-17 win over their Italian rivals. Hugo has 38 caps and has scored 60 points for Ireland, including 12 tries.

Team

Games

Wins

Draw

Loss

Tries

Points

Leinster

63

57

-

6

13

65

Ireland

38

31

-

7

12

60

Total

101

88

-

13

25

125

Hugo Keenan during a rugby squad training session
Hugo Keenan during an Ireland Rugby squad training session at The Campus on 29 January 2024 in Quinta da Lago, Portugal. Photo: Brendan Moran (Modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

Keenan helped Ireland beat England in the 2022 Six Nations. He was part of the squad that reached the quarter-final of the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France. He shared his disappointment to RTÉ Sport following their exit.

I am not going to lie. It was heartbreaking how the World Cup ended for us, and it is not something you get over quickly. We were all delighted to get back into Leinster about two weeks ago and excited to get back in the RDS, putting on the Leinster jersey again.
That is probably the only way you can get over these things: Get back to playing rugby and get back focused on what you can do next.

Hugo Keenan's injury update

Since debuting in the rugby scene, Hugo has suffered knee injuries that have usually caused him to miss out on essential matches. Although the fullback had hoped to make it back to face Warren Gatland's side, he admitted that it was indeed a long journey to recovery.

Rehab is progressing well. I was sad not to be out there at the weekend. It is always tough watching from the stand. The injury is going according to plan. Hopefully, I will get back for the England game. We are linking back up together. I am not too far off getting fully involved, so I am looking forward to being back.
Hugo Keenan arrives at Thomond Park in Limerick
Hugo arrives before the United Rugby Championship match against Munster at Thomond Park in Limerick on 26 December 2023. Photo: Brendan Moran (Modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

Hugo Keenan's salary and net worth

According to sources such as ABTC, the up-and-coming rugby star has an estimated net worth ranging between $1 million and $5 million. His salary is around $507,000 after signing a three-year deal that extended his contract until the end of the 2025/26 season.

Trivia

Ireland and Leinster rugby fans have much to celebrate as the talented Hugo Keenan continues to make waves on the rugby field despite his injuries. Here are some interesting facts about him.

Is Hugo Keenan married?

The decorated Irish rugby player is yet to be married. However, he is in a relationship with his long-term girlfriend, Emma Hempenstall. The have been dating for two years.

Emma Hempenstall (age 26 as of March 2024) was born on 17 November 1996. She attended Technological University Dublin, pursuing a Bachelor's in Business and Management. After graduating, she attended UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School and pursued a Master's in Management Consulting.

She landed her first job as an assistant manager at Fish Shack and worked for almost four years before working as a waitress at Gleesons of Booterstown. As of March 2024, she is the Oracle management and business consultant.

Besides her entrepreneurial endeavours, Emma also engages in charitable activities. In 2023, she donated to LauraLynn – Ireland's Children's Hospice fundraiser and Frederick Price's birthday fundraiser for Enable Ireland.

What is Hugo Keenan's nationality?

Hugo Keenan at Stade Marcel Deflandre
Hugo Keenan is seen during a Leinster Rugby captain's run at Stade Marcel Deflandre on 9 December 2023 in La Rochelle, France. Photo: Harry Murphy (Modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

The professional athlete is an Irish national of a white ethnic background. He was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland to Irish parents.

What is Hugo Keenan's height and weight?

The Irish athlete is 6 feet 1 inch or 185 centimetres tall and weighs 203 pounds or 92 kilograms. He has dark brown hair and eyes.

Is Hugo Keenan on Instagram?

The famous Irish professional athlete is on Instagram, boasting over 60k followers as of February 2024.

Final word

Despite battling several knee injuries, Hugo Keenan's professional stats have been incredible since his debut. Through his immense dedication and passion for the sport, he has established himself as a sought-after personality in rugby.

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Authors
Claudia Kogi photo
Claudia Kogi
Claudia Kogi is a Kenyan content creator with over 3 years of experience. Claudia joined Sportsbrief.com as a writer in January 2022, covering sports and relatable content.
Tags
Rugby World CupUnited Rugby Championship