'I still feel like I haven't really achieved that much' - Hugo Keenan living the 'dream' after patient wait

Three years can be a long time in rugby, and Hugo Keenan is the perfect example.

When Leinster last played in a Heineken Champions Cup final, there were probably few fans outside the province who knew who he was.

Even though he was a month shy of turning 23-years-old, the full-back was still in the Leinster academy, having detoured along the development path due to a couple of seasons on the sevens circuit.

He'd played just five games of rugby for Leinster to that point, and was far enough down the pecking order that he didn't even travel with the squad to the final in Newcastle, instead watching it with his fellow academy members at Bective Rangers clubhouse.

Fast forward three years and Keenan is a nailed-on starter for both Leinster and Ireland, so crucial to next week's Champions Cup final against La Rochelle that he's about as likely to tog out against Munster this weekend as Leo Cullen is.

With a number one seed secure for the URC playoffs, Keenan will be rested along with most of the province's frontline players, Leinster's previous form this season allowing them the luxury of spreading their wealth of talent across both competitions.

"It's good, it will be nice to get a bit of a break this weekend, but there will still be a good side put out against Munster and it's still a huge game," Keenan said, at an event for Leinster Rugby and their innovation partners BearingPoint.

"We are also looking to prep those lads who are playing to make sure they perform and hopefully get the win.

"I suppose it's an exciting time, isn't it? Two weeks to just look at La Rochelle, to preview them, to do our reviews from Toulouse and get ahead of the game early because there is a lot of work to do."

Next week's Marseille final will be Keenan's