HUGO KEENAN SAYS Saturday’s World Cup win against the Springboks ranks as the biggest night of his career after Ireland delivered a statement performance to down the defending champions.
Ireland are now in prime position to top their pool and set up a likely quarter-final date with New Zealand, and post-match, Keenan ranked it as the most significant game of his career as he reflected on a famous night in Paris.
“Probably the biggest wasn’t it? It’s been in the pipeline,” he said.
God, I was nervous this week, I met my girlfriend briefly this morning and she thought I looked sick!
“I felt good once I got out there, it’s a pressure environment. Stade de France hasn’t been kind to us in the past, there’s a pressure lurking that we were keen personally and as a team from that loss to France two years ago and learn from that.
“Jeez, that support was incredible. The Irish crowd are amazing, the numbers, the amount of people who made the effort to get over here and support us – it made some difference.”
Ireland spend a lot of time working on their mental preparation so with that in mind, it was interesting to hear Keenan admit to some pre-game nerves. As much as you try prepare for it, you can’t feel the noise and intensity of a packed Stade de France until you’re out there in the thick of it.
“You need to harness it at the right times and I think the forwards did,” Keenan continued.
“I’m sure South Africa felt under the cosh at times when the 60-odd-thousand Irish fans are cheering for us, it does make a difference.
There’s times you have to ignore it during play and just do your job, but you also have to embrace it and make the most of it.
“The walkaround after the game was incredibly special, I saw some familiar faces which makes it extra cool.”
Keenan came close to scoring a try for Ireland early in the first half, getting on the end of a wonderful Garry Ringrose pass only to be tackled short of the line.
“We left a few tries out there alright, it was annoying I didn’t carry three metres further. I was too far (to reach), you have to be careful of the double-movement, be patient and not greedy. They’re big moments.
“It was such a tight affair, both teams were making mistakes, both had opportunities and we both didn’t take them, it could have gone either way.
“Defensively, we were very good and that was pleasing. Lads fronted up, the forwards and the lads off the bench were involved in that. They were brilliant, weren’t they?”
Agreed.