CONNACHT’S HOPES OF a shock win away to Saracens next weekend have been dealt a massive blow with Mack Hansen ruled out of a game where both sides really need to win to stay in the hunt for the Champions Cup.
Hansen suffered an ankle injury in the record 41-5 loss at home to Bordeaux-Bègles on Friday night amid fears it’s a recurrence of the issue which troubled him during the World Cup.
But while the extent of the injury has not been established, scrum and contact coach Colm Tucker confirmed that Hansen is out of Saturday’s clash against the former three-time champions in north London.
“We’re just investigating the injury further before we know where we can go with it. Obviously, hopefully it is not too bad but we won’t know until we get the full medical update,” said Tucker.
He confirmed that while there were no other injuries from Friday’s disappointing clash, full-back Tiernan O’Halloran and lock Oisin Dowling remain out through injury.
However, top try scorer Diarmuid Kilgallen, who crossed five times so far in this season’s URC campaign, is available for Saturday’s game having been rested against Bordeaux-Bègles.
Tucker said they have already carried out a ‘frank and honest’ review of the six tries to one defeat and that all attention was now on Sarries, who lost their opening game away to the Bulls 27-16 and had Billy Vunipola sent off in the process.
Tucker acknowledged that upped what’s at stake in the lunchtime clash at the StoneX Stadium on Saturday and that there is now a lot on the line for both sides in this one.
“Yeah, 100%. We’re written off, there is no doubt about that. We have gotten criticism, when you concede 41 points at home it’s going to be deserved. But we are excited about the challenge. We know the international pedigree they have, the Lions they have in the team, it is a great place for us to go and pitch up and show our wares and show that Friday night was an anomaly.
“I back the coaches, I back the players to go out and give a performance on Saturday that we can make our supporters proud of again,” added Tucker.
