Ireland Aims to Make a Strong Impression in Rugby World Cup 2023 Opener, Says Hugo Keenan

Hugo Keenan: Ireland Ready to Lay Down a Statement in Opening World Cup Match

In their buildup to the highly anticipated Rugby World Cup, Ireland had a bit of an underwhelming performance during the warm-up games in August. However, full-back Hugo Keenan believes that his team is now fully prepared to showcase their highest level of performance, starting with their opening match against Romania.

“We haven’t quite displayed our best form leading up to the World Cup so far,” admitted the 27-year-old Keenan. “While there have been some positive moments, there’s still plenty we need to work on.”

Nevertheless, Keenan expresses excitement for Saturday’s game and emphasizes their determination to improve upon previous performances. He states confidently, “We want to deliver a performance that truly reflects our abilities. If we can make a strong statement while doing so, it would be fantastic.”

Impressive Winning Streak and High Expectations

Entering this year’s World Cup with an impressive 13-match winning streak since last summer’s victory over New Zealand, Andy Farrell’s side has firmly established themselves as the number one team globally. They have further solidified this status by defeating powerhouses like South Africa and Australia before securing the Grand Slam title in this year’s Six Nations Championship.

However, despite these achievements, Keenan acknowledges that they must elevate their game even further if they aspire to win their first-ever Rugby World Cup trophy.

“Every team will have dedicated time together for pre-season preparations and improvement,” explained Keenan thoughtfully. “Therefore, we must take our successes from the Six Nations, autumn tests, and New Zealand series and raise our level to match theirs.”

Avoiding Complacency

While other matches in the opening weekend of the World Cup involve top ten teams battling it out – such as France versus New Zealand, England against Argentina, South Africa facing Scotland, and Wales taking on Fiji – Ireland is expected to comfortably overcome Romania. The Oaks are currently ranked 19th globally and have never advanced beyond the group stage in previous World Cups.

Despite Romania’s underdog status, Keenan stresses that Ireland is not taking anything for granted. “We respect every team participating in this tournament,” he asserts confidently. “No matter their ranking or history, we understand that any team can bring surprises.”

The Need for Continuous Growth

The Leinster star recognizes the need for constant growth within their own squad as well. He believes that they should continue building upon their past achievements while simultaneously expanding their skills to remain competitive at this global event.

“It’s important to gain confidence from our victories over top-ranked teams,” highlights Keenan. “However, we cannot afford complacency or assume superiority based solely on those results alone.”

Eager Anticipation for Exciting Tournament Opener

Ireland will go head-to-head with Romania on Saturday following host nation France’s highly anticipated clash with reigning champions New Zealand on Friday night in Paris.

Keenan expresses his anticipation surrounding the opening fixture between Les Bleus and All Blacks: “It’s a difficult one to predict,” muses Keenan alongside his roommate Jimmy O’Brien who also plays for Leinster. “The excitement around this inaugural game is palpable. I am certain fans worldwide will be captivated by the action.”

As Ireland’s journey begins, Keenan sets his sights on their potential quarter-final opponents – either France or New Zealand. “We’ll be keeping a close eye on that match,” he concludes.