Rónan Kelleher, born on 24 January 1998, is an Irish professional rugby union player who currently plays as a hooker. He is a member of the United Rugby Championship club Leinster and represents the Ireland national team.
During his underage years, Kelleher initially played as an outside back and then as a back-row player before eventually settling into the position of hooker. He attended St. Michael's College in Dublin, where his father served as the principal. His older brother, Cian Kelleher, is also a professional rugby union player.
Kelleher progressed through the Leinster Academy and showcased his talent as a hooker. In 2018, he played a crucial role in Leinster A's success in the inaugural Celtic Cup, scoring both tries in the final against the Scarlets Premiership Select side. He made his senior debut for Leinster in February 2019 in a match against the Southern Kings.
Kelleher represented the Ireland Under-20s in both the 2017 World Rugby Under 20 Championship and the 2018 Six Nations Under 20s Championship, earning 11 caps and scoring two tries.
Kelleher received his first call-up to the senior Ireland squad on 15 January 2020 for the 2020 Six Nations Championship. He made his international debut as a replacement against Scotland on 1 February 2020. Kelleher scored his first international try during the 2021 Six Nations match against France.
Notably, Kelleher equaled the record for the most tries scored by an Irish player in a test match when he scored four tries for Ireland in a 71–10 victory over the United States on 10 July 2021.
British & Irish Lions:
Kelleher joined the British & Irish Lions pre-tour training camp in Jersey in 2021 as informal cover for the hooker position due to the unavailability of touring hookers Jamie George and Luke Cowan-Dickie. He was subsequently called up to the Lions squad in South Africa on 15 July 2021.
Throughout his career, Kelleher has demonstrated his power and skill as a hooker, and his impressive performances have earned him recognition at both club and international levels. As of November 2019, he had made seven appearances for Leinster and scored 30 points. By that time, he had also earned 13 caps for Ireland and scored five test tries.
Ahead of the Rugby World Cup 2023, Kelleher has been named in the squad for Ireland.
KG(30/06/2023)
Career
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Leinster Rugby Hooker |
2017 - present |
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Ireland Hooker |
2020 - present |
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British & Irish Lions Hooker |
2021 - present |
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Ireland U20's Hooker |
2017 - 2018 |
