CONNACHT ARE SWEATING over the fitness of Irish winger Mack Hansen for their crucial Christmas clash with Ulster at the Sportsground on Friday week.
The World Rugby’s Breakthrough Player of the Year nominee suffered a leg injury in the URC win over Benetton the weekend before last and Connacht hope he can return to full training next week.
He has been ruled out of the Challenge Cup trip to Brive this Friday but was unlikely to be brought in any event as Andy Friend continues to blood players in the secondary European competition.
Connacht will hope that Ulster, who face Champions Cup holders La Rochelle this weekend in Belfast after their shocking 39-0 loss away to Sale Sharks, will be vulnerable when they come to Galway for the December 23 showdown.
It will be Connacht’s final derby match for the season and the fear is that crowds could dip for the remainder of the URC campaign unless they are bidding for a place in the Champions Cup.
A crowd of just 3,129 turned up on Saturday for the Newcastle game, with 4,100 there the previous week for the win over Benetton.
Connacht, having won three of their last four league games, are just three points away from the top half a Champions Cup spot but they know they will need to be fully loaded for an Ulster side who may only have the URC to contend for this season, currently sitting fourth with six wins from eight.
The availability of Hansen for that match would be a huge boost but first Andy Friend’s men need to negotiate a trip to a Brive side who are bottom of the Top 14 having lost their last seven league games, six of them by more than 15 points. They have three former Connacht players — centre Sammy Arnold, No8 Abraham Papali’i and Tietie Tuimauga — in their ranks.
One of Connacht’s four summer signings from Leinster, versatile back five forward Josh Murphy, has been ruled out of the trip to Brive as he continues the return to play protocols after picking up a head injury against Newcastle.
Hooker Dylan Tierney-Martin is also ruled out with an elbow injury in that game but Australian Byron Ralston has returned to training after a shoulder injury picked up against Ulster.
Friend looks set to mix up his squad for this encounter as he continues to give game-time to players.
“We have got 44 players on contract and most have minutes, still a couple who haven’t,” said Friend.
Get instant updates on your province on The42 app. With Laya Healthcare, official health and wellbeing partner to Leinster, Munster and Connacht Rugby.
“But those who have got minutes have equipped themselves quite well. We have put ourselves in a genuine position where we have got that depth.”
