Hugo Keenan will miss Leinster’s opening match in the European Champions Cup away to Bristol in Ashton Gate on Sunday with a wrist injury.
Keenan suffered the injury in Ireland’s victory over Australia on Saturday in the final game of the Autumn Nations Series. The fullback was in some discomfort afterwards, with some reports saying he has a suspected fracture.
Keenan is also likely to miss Leinster’s second game of the opening phase of the competition against French side Clermont Auvergne at the Aviva Stadium and possibly the Christmas URC interprovincial derby matches against Munster and Connacht.
Leinster’s Champions Cup opener brings a meeting with a familiar face
Leinster are due to play Connacht at home on December 21st and face Munster in Thomond Park on December 27th. In the recent Autum Nations Series, the 28-year-old lined out against New Zealand, Argentina, did not play in the game against Fiji and started against the Wallabies.
Leinster head coach Leo Cullen will announce the Leinster team on Friday.
Meanwhile, the IRFU and Leinster Rugby have announced the passing of Dave Fagan after a short illness. A strength and conditioning coach with Leinster and Irish Rugby over 27 years, Fagan joined the Leinster Branch in 1995 where he worked with the men’s senior team for many seasons before his role evolved to focus on the academy and sub-academy pathway systems.
A former shot putt coach who worked with Team Ireland at the Olympic Games in Barcelona in 1992 and again in Beijing in 2008, he also worked with many other athletes from different sports including Gaelic games.
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