CONNACHT HEAD COACH Stuart Lancaster has all but confirmed that Mack Hansen’s season is over due to the foot injury that he suffered while playing for Ireland in November.
Hansen first injured his foot during the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia last summer, missing the three Tests against the Wallabies as a result.
The 27-year-old made his comeback for Connacht in a URC clash with the Bulls in October, but re-injured his foot in that game.
Hansen then made his second return for Ireland against Australia in November, scoring a hat-trick on his first Test start at fullback, but he limped off during the defeat to South Africa a week later having re-injured his foot again.
He had foot surgery in early December and now looks unlikely to make a return for Connacht this season.
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“It will be tight,” said Lancaster when asked if Hansen could be back for Connacht if they make the URC play-offs and/or Challenge Cup final.
“It will be a struggle, I think.”
Given the two recurrences of the injury, it seems highly likely that Connacht and Ireland will both be cautious with Hansen’s latest recovery.
James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
As such, it seems he will have his next comeback in the 2026/27 season.
Meanwhile, Connacht boss Lancaster said tighthead prop Finlay Bealham could still be in contention for Ireland’s opening Six Nations fixture against France in Paris on 5 February.
34-year-old Bealham suffered a knee injury in Connacht’s defeat to Leinster on 3 January and will definitely miss the province’s rematch against Leinster at the Dexcom Stadium this Saturday.
That puts him in a race against time to be available for Ireland’s Six Nations opener in just over two weeks.
“I don’t think he’s a million miles away, so I wouldn’t be close enough to all his rehab and the plans that they’ve got, but he’s not a million miles away, no,” said Lancaster yesterday.
“So I think he’ll be there, thereabouts. But that’s to say, is he going to be on the training field that week and will he be available? It’s not far away, but equally he’s not far away, either. He’s not trained with us fully, but speaking to him yesterday and today, he feels he’s making good progress very quickly.”
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell also has an injury concern over first-choice tighthead Tadhg Furlong, who went off with a calf injury early in Leinster’s win over Bayonne last weekend.
Ireland international Thomas Clarkson came on for Furlong in that game and impressed, while Tom O’Toole has been in good form at tighthead for Ulster.
Ireland are due to announce Farrell’s Six Nations squad at 3pm today.
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'It'll be a struggle' - Hansen unlikely to play again this season
CONNACHT HEAD COACH Stuart Lancaster has all but confirmed that Mack Hansen’s season is over due to the foot injury that he suffered while playing for Ireland in November.
Hansen first injured his foot during the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia last summer, missing the three Tests against the Wallabies as a result.
The 27-year-old made his comeback for Connacht in a URC clash with the Bulls in October, but re-injured his foot in that game.
Hansen then made his second return for Ireland against Australia in November, scoring a hat-trick on his first Test start at fullback, but he limped off during the defeat to South Africa a week later having re-injured his foot again.
He had foot surgery in early December and now looks unlikely to make a return for Connacht this season.
“It will be tight,” said Lancaster when asked if Hansen could be back for Connacht if they make the URC play-offs and/or Challenge Cup final.
“It will be a struggle, I think.”
Given the two recurrences of the injury, it seems highly likely that Connacht and Ireland will both be cautious with Hansen’s latest recovery.
As such, it seems he will have his next comeback in the 2026/27 season.
Meanwhile, Connacht boss Lancaster said tighthead prop Finlay Bealham could still be in contention for Ireland’s opening Six Nations fixture against France in Paris on 5 February.
34-year-old Bealham suffered a knee injury in Connacht’s defeat to Leinster on 3 January and will definitely miss the province’s rematch against Leinster at the Dexcom Stadium this Saturday.
That puts him in a race against time to be available for Ireland’s Six Nations opener in just over two weeks.
“I don’t think he’s a million miles away, so I wouldn’t be close enough to all his rehab and the plans that they’ve got, but he’s not a million miles away, no,” said Lancaster yesterday.
“So I think he’ll be there, thereabouts. But that’s to say, is he going to be on the training field that week and will he be available? It’s not far away, but equally he’s not far away, either. He’s not trained with us fully, but speaking to him yesterday and today, he feels he’s making good progress very quickly.”
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell also has an injury concern over first-choice tighthead Tadhg Furlong, who went off with a calf injury early in Leinster’s win over Bayonne last weekend.
Ireland international Thomas Clarkson came on for Furlong in that game and impressed, while Tom O’Toole has been in good form at tighthead for Ulster.
Ireland are due to announce Farrell’s Six Nations squad at 3pm today.
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Connacht foot injury Hansen Ireland return of the mack