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13th March 2024
05:58pm GMT
Mack Hansen was invited back in to join the Ireland squad, on Tuesday, as he continued with his rehab from his shoulder injury. The Connacht winger missed the chance to help Ireland try retain their Six Nations crown but has his eyes set on provincial comeback before the season is out.
Hansen dislocated his shoulder on Connacht duty and his presence has been missed by Ireland, despite the likes of Calvin Nash and Ciáran Frawley looking at their depth in the Test set-up.
During our chat with Hansen [full interview will be available on House of Rugby on Thursday], the winger promoted the Wings for Life World Run, praised the continued, positive impact of Bundee Aki, spoke of Jamison Gibson-Park as a still underrated Test gem, and rounded on the rugby writer that himself took aim at foreign players representing nations like Ireland, England and Scotland,
Earlier in the Six Nations championship, The Telegraph’s chief sports writer, Oliver Brown bemoaned players like James Lowe and Duhan van der Merwe satisfying World Rugby eligibility rules to represent nations where they played their club rugby [but were not born in]. Brown wrote:
‘Take [the] Calcutta Cup, a contest electrified by Scotland’s Duhan van der Merwe, whose name hardly suggests a rugged clan from the Cairngorms. Not that the issue can ever be reduced to a single player. Of the 39-man squad selected this year by Gregor Townsend to wear Scottish blue, an astonishing 23 were born elsewhere... James Lowe is about as Irish as McDonald’s Shamrock Shake, coming to the country when he was 25 and having played for the Maori All Blacks against the British and Irish Lions.’
Mack Hansen is Irish-qualified through his mother, who hails from Cork. The 25-year-old was playing his club rugby in Australia, where he was born, but jumped at the chance to go over to Connacht, when Andy Friend was in charge, and have a crack at making it in Ireland.
He started that first season, 2021/22, brilliantly and Andy Farrell called him in for a look ahead of the 2022 Six Nations. It came as a surprise to some when he vaulted straight into the starting XV but a spectacular try against France, in Paris, settled any questions. He has, to date, made 21 Test appearances for Ireland, scored nine tries and helped the team to a 2023 Six Nations Grand Slam.
Asked about that recent furore regarding foreign players qualifying to represent other nations, Hansen told us, "Yeah, 100% you know, I saw a comment.
"I think his name is Oliver Brown, he made a comment and look. Everyone's entitled to their opinion, but I thought it was just a pretty stupid comment. Like, to say James Lowe is as Irish - whatever he even said - as a Shamrock Shake. Lowey has lived for a good amount of years here. He's had a kid here.
"And this isn't just him - this is Jamo [Gibson-Park], this is Bundee, Finlay [Bealham]. This is me, it's everyone... I'm sure it's the same in all the other places, you know. They give absolutely everything to this country, on the field, but also off the field, as well. A lot of those guys are doing plenty of stuff with charities and helping out around.
"I think that's why people have taken to them, as well, because they're not only good people on the field, but off the field. Everyone's just really bought into it themselves.
"So, yeah, I thought that comment just made him seem like a really bitter little man, to be honest to you... Yeah, I just think it was a stupid comment when he, when obviously has no idea on the amount of pleasure these guys bring to this country and what they do for it, as well."
Still rehabbing after that shoulder injury, in early January, Mack Hansen was delighted to accept a couple of invitations back to be in and around the Ireland squad. To him, it sums up what makes Andy Farrell's leadership so personal, and meaningful.
Tuesday saw him do some light work at the IRFU's High Performance Centre, out in Blanchardstown, while he also headed along, earlier in the Six Nations, to watch the Italy game - in his custom 'Sexton 69' jersey.
"I was actually trying to catch up with Johnny, that weekend, and he said he was away," says Hansen.
"I don't know if he was lying or if he actually was [away], but I still send him a message. I'll send a few of the guys messages, here and there. Keith Earls, too. He was monumental in my Test career, helping me out heaps with his experience and making me feel I was part of the squad."
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