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.”

Bank of Ireland have announced new five-year extensions of its sponsorships of the four provinces. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO

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.”