Ronan Kelleher

When fit, Ronan Kelleher is among the most destructive hookers in the northern hemisphere. Born on 24 January 1998, the Leinster and Ireland forward has been a central figure in the most successful period in modern Irish rugby, including the Grand Slam-winning Six Nations campaign of 2023. Kelleher plays with a ferocity that sets him apart. His carrying is explosive over short distances, and he is used deliberately as a gainline weapon off close-range phases, where his leg drive routinely takes him through the first contact. At the breakdown he works with the urgency of a back-rower, jackaling and clearing with equal commitment. The set-piece side of his game is equally well developed. His lineout throwing is accurate under pressure, a non-negotiable in the intricate maul and lineout systems Leinster and Ireland operate, and his scrummaging holds firm against the best packs in Europe. Injuries have interrupted several seasons, which has only underlined his importance when available. Whether starting or introduced from the bench to lift the tempo in the closing quarter, Kelleher offers a combination of set-piece accuracy and raw physical impact that few hookers in the game can match.