FIRST THINGS FIRST, Mack Hansen remains hopeful of getting back on the pitch for Ireland’s two-Test summer tour to South Africa in July.
The winger hasn’t played since dislocating his shoulder in Connacht’s New Year’s Day defeat of Munster, and while he’s been stepping up his training with the province this week he’s reluctant to put a timeframe on his return.
The 26-year-old is through the worst part of his rehab and those Springbok Tests are the carrot at the end of the stick, but Hansen also hopes to play a part in Connacht’s URC run-in.
“I don’t think my first game will be at Dexcom, is the best I can give you,” Hansen says.
“Still on track, it’s all coming along well. I don’t want to give an exact date, just in case, but everything seems to be going to be plan.
“I just want to get back and play for Connacht, play well, make finals and then if I’m doing well in that I’ll make it into the squad [for South Africa]. First focus for sure is getting back for Connacht, play well, make finals, win the URC and go from there. Yeah it’s on my mind but the URC is definitely at the front of it.”
Like the rest of us, Hansen has watched this week’s big rugby news with interest. Leinster’s signing of Jordie Barrett – announced the same day Dan Sheehan was confirmed to be stepping up to an IRFU central contact – reignited the debate around how Irish rugby works, and how those central deals are spread across the four provinces.
Currently, Connacht, Munster and Ulster are all set to have just one player each on central contacts next season [Bundee Aki, Tadhg Beirne and Iain Henderson], while Sheehan’s deal took Leinster’s total to nine.
“It’s easy to complain about one but which one of the guys that are on central contracts would you take of? I wouldn’t take any of them off,” Hansen says.
“Everyone who has them has earned them and deserves them. Every team would want to have more of those guys spread out but that’s just the way it is. They’ve all come through there and they all deserve them so there’s nothing else you can really do about it.”
Hansen – who joined Connacht from the Brumbies in 2021 – feels the current central contracts model is a good fit for Irish rugby, having seen how Rugby Australia has at times struggled to keep players at home.
“It’s a great system. I think it’s a really smart way they way they’ve nailed it. You look at the way that clubs do it in Australia, Rugby Australia kind of tops them [contracts] up but it doesn’t really give them as much of an incentive, especially with the tax back and stuff here in Ireland as well.
“I think they’ve just nailed it. I think the system is just the best I’ve seen for sure at keeping players like this. So many guys stay because it just makes more sense.
That’s the only way Irish rugby is going to get stronger and stronger, if you keep going. I don’t have a problem with the way anything is set up. I think it’s actually set up in a genius way.”
Yet as it stands the odds are loaded in Leinster’s favour. The province have done an excellent job in building their academy structures but they also get to fish from the biggest playing pool, while their domination of the central contracts frees up money for big name signings such as Barrett.
“Look, my thinking on it is, if you’ve got the cash and can, why wouldn’t you? If we [Connacht] could, we’d sign him but we can’t unfortunately.
“I know there is a little of a stink people are kicking up with Sheeno going onto a central but he’s earned that central contract. It’s not like they’re just giving it to him because he’s a good bloke or anything like that – he’s a shit bloke! (laughs)
“He’s come through the Leinster pathways and he’s the best hooker in the world at the moment so it was just a matter of time before he was on that sort of thing. They just had to work out a way to free up a bit of space to make those signings.
“It’s just the way it is. If you can do that, you want to get the best and strongest squad possible.
No one’s got a real problem with the French teams doing it, I don’t know why everyone is blowing up about an Irish team.”
Hansen is hoping Connacht can have a strong end to the season, with the province currently sitting 10th in the URC table ahead of tomorrow’s clash with Zebre.
“This time last year we were actually in a worse spot. We were written off as well, were given little to no chance of making finals and we went five from five or five from six, something like that, and that’s kind of what we need again and we’re more than capable of doing that.
“We’ve got a pretty good run on the way in, some tough games, but we’re playing some teams towards the lower end of the ladder.
“Look, it’s not going to be easy games at all but you’d much rather that than heading over to South Africa and having some games over there. We were lucky to get all of that stuff out of the way. We’re excited for it, we’re excited for the challenge and we know that we’re more than capable of making it into the finals and, once we do, anything is possible from there.”
Mack Hansen was speaking as Bank of Ireland announced new five-year extensions of its sponsorships of the four Irish Rugby provinces, reaffirming its long-standing commitment to the game across all levels in Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Ulster.
Excellent article Murray. It’s the passing that’s concerning. A basic skill, you would assume at this level it certainly ought to be dealt with in training as regards timing. It can’t be perfect in training & poor in matches. So where are the standards vs Joe time when was non negotiable. Jamie O is young but a poor passer when moving and evident since his Leinster debut. We rarely pass in front of each other, almost always static in receiving, and when there is a 1st phase move, it gets stuck in midfield on contact. Bar Hugo try v Italy, very little innovation, attempts to do so. Extremely low risk rugby SA aside, since RWC. And while we love Hugo, nothing in attack from returned kicks. Little evidence Andrew Goodman was the right choice. You can swap the above comments for Leinster too.
@Mark Kearney: agree and add the waning of our ‘power game’ – that’s another point of difference for France and England and why they both ‘destroyed’ Wales and we didn’t.
@Mark Kearney: good point. Lancaster was really hot on passing accuracy and that meant the majority of players coming into Ireland camp under him were on top of their skills. Connacht also playing attacking style since Lam. New Munster/Ulster coaches also emphasize ball handling. I think the change in style at Leinster is really having a big impact on IRL attack. Leinster players concentrate on chasing kicks and being aggressive in défense. Leinster’s attack has been really poor these last 2 seasons but their brilliant defense means they still win. Cc LRO game was case in point. Irelands last 2 6n’s were also built on solid defense btw. People like to praise the IRL attack but it’s our defence was the foundation of our attack. We conceded more tries this 6n’s than in the last 2 combined.
The key statistic is professional playing numbers. In Ireland, we have 180, France, and England have very many more. It’s probably 8 to 10 times more, especially in France. Long-term strategy is surely to have a fifth team probably off the island.
@D Farrell: agree, but we have what we have. We have to revert to having a point of difference, back to most of Joe’s time in Lein & Ireland, was passing. That you can do with existing structure, if you first accept there is an issue. I don’t think we do, and poor standards are accepted across the provinces. That’s on the coaches, and players wanting to improve.
@D Farrell: Wishful thinking, I fear. The revenue to support a 5th team does not exist. Frankly I doubt whether we have the revenue to support four. Especially if the growth of Women’s pro rugby is already acting like an additional province in terms of its financial impact
I haven’t gone back to check but I imagine what has been said (by both fans and media) about this Ireland team/players/coaches is nothing compared to what the French will have had to put up with when we did them last season. They didn’t go through a massive clean out, and I don’t think we need to either. The other provinces other than Leinster do need to pull their socks up though.
It’s no coincidence our attack faltered when Andy Farrell was away. I think it’s forgotten that he is heavily involved in Irelands innovative attack plays and his absence definitely affected this. Also it’s worth mentioning Catt started very poorly with Ireland and became instrumental in our brilliant attack over the last few years. Maybe Goodman needs time to bed in also
Being third in what many considered a two horse race can’t be considered a success .
However it reflects the approach of the Irish management based on defence . Both Irish wings selection and reputations based on their performance on a catch and kick game .
But teams have stopped kicking deep as blocking in front of the catcher is penalized and the objective is to ensure the ball is behind the defending pack . Thus the reason to pick paceless wings no longer exists .
As previously noted 9 of the 23 are over 30 whose best games are behind them .
I considered that this was last 6 nations for more than PoM Murray and Healy and the preference for Leinster Blue was undeserved by several players .
@SAMUEL T McGLADERY: Who do you think should have been picked on the wings instead of Hansen and Lowe?