Ireland defender Hugo Keenan has praised the work of the coaching staff as they aim to win a third successive Six Nations title.
Ireland secured a hard-fought victory over Wales last weekend to keep alive their chances of a second Grand Slam in three years.
The team is without their head coach Andy Farrell this season, who will be taking over the British and Irish Lions this summer. Simon Easterby will take over on an interim basis until November.
Everything went according to plan, and Keenan noted that the structure ensured a smooth transition.
“It's a testament to the coaches who took the initiative,” Keenan said.
“Beyond the foundation that Andy laid, we are a strong team. Andy was in his position from 2019 and before, and most of the team stayed, which created good stability over the years.
“After the World Cup we discussed that this is not a new cycle but a continuation of our path and we are looking to develop and improve the game in Ireland.
“The performances you have seen over the last three weeks are the result of many years of work.
“It's a bit unusual that he's not here. Of course, his leadership qualities are missing, but the coaches are doing a great job, and many of the managers have also been actively involved in the work.”
After a mixed performance in November, including a defeat to New Zealand and unconvincing wins over Argentina and Australia, questions were raised about the team.
However, many of those questions appear to have been answered in the Six Nations and the Leinster defender stressed the importance of addressing what went wrong.
“We realized back in November that we hadn't played our best. We probably didn't perform as well as we could have and we certainly didn't get the results we were hoping for.
“It was never a panic. We knew we just needed to improve a few things like discipline, precision and composure.
“We thought hard about November when we came to the Six Nations camp. We learned a lot of lessons and tried to make sure that most of those mistakes were not repeated.”
Since making his debut in 2020, Keenan has worn the number 15 shirt and established himself as one of the best defenders in the world.
2024 has been Keenan's toughest year yet due to injuries, with him missing two Six Nations games and the quarter-final and semi-final of the Champions Cup for Leinster.
Now that the 28-year-old has fully recovered, he is delighted to be back on the pitch, especially considering that some of his teammates and friends have had to retire due to injuries.
“You want to be involved in all the big games, whether it's for Leinster in the European Cup or the URC. You want to play in the Six Nations and international Tests.
“It was a bit of a bummer. I had a few minor injuries, missed a few games and maybe didn't get the consistency I was hoping for at the end of last season.
“I'm lucky I wasn't out for a long time. I know friends and teammates who have had much worse injuries than me.
“You look at the likes of Conor O'Brien and Dan Leavy who have had to go through injury. Guys who have gone through tough times – one of my best mates, Will Connors, played there for a number of years and missed months on end.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
