“I’VE GOT THREE screws in my shoulder, a screw in my wrist, a TightRope in my ankle, six screws in my foot.”
Mack Hansen is sitting on the edge of the indoor pitch at Abbotstown, listing off some of the repair work his body has required over the years. The latest setback kept him out of Ireland camp for two full windows, missing the 2026 Six Nations and Southern Hemisphere leg of the Nations Championship.
The long wait to wear the Ireland shirt again will end over the upcoming November Tests against Argentina, Fiji and South Africa, where Hansen will take to the pitch with what he describes as “a new foot”, which is still loosening out.
“I ended up getting it fused, getting six screws and a plate in there.
“It was still sore for a good while. But in saying that, it hasn’t even been a year since I got the surgery, I think it’s just going to take time more than anything to build the load up through the foot.
“I just have to get used to the way I run, the way I move; everything like that takes time.”
Hansen missed the 2026 Six Nations and summer Tests due to injury. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
The injury happened on last year’s Lions tour, Hansen feeling something after stepping on someone’s foot in the closing stages of a tour game against the ANZAC side. The initial scans didn’t show anything too worrying, but the issue kept niggling away. Eventually a clearer picture formed and surgery was required. The recovery was slow, and at times mentally challenging.
“There was a period there where I was a bit worried, to be honest,” Hansen admits.
“I’ve been very lucky. I’ve had great people around me. People up here and people down in Connacht that were doing everything they possibly could.
“There was a good period there, it just wasn’t getting better. I felt like I’d take a step forward and two steps back for a while. I’ve had it with most injuries I’ve ever had. One day it just sort of clicks.
“It’s not perfect now, but it’s definitely on the mend. There were pretty sticky days where I was worried that maybe that was going to be it.
“On the other side of that, I think you always worry as a player with a big injury like that if you’re going to be able to come back and play like you were.
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“That was probably the main thing I was battling with. I’ve had some pretty big injuries that I’ve gotten back from. I thought I could do it. But then again, I didn’t want to come back and just be another guy. I wanted to be able to add to a team like I used to. If I couldn’t do that, I probably wouldn’t be here.”
His physical recovery has hit its targets. Hansen says he is now “the strongest I’ve ever been” while “speed-wise, I’m not far off.”
And he’s clearly relishing being back in Ireland camp. He’ll be a key man again for Andy Farrell’s side in the lead up to the 2027 World Cup. Capable of playing across the back three, the 28-year-old has played once on the right wing for Connacht this season, before making three appearances on the left. That number 11 jersey is of course now up for grabs with Ireland since James Lowe left for Japan.
Hansen is back up and running having played just once for Connacht last season. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
“Some guys just prefer playing on different wings, I don’t mind. Like I started off on the left wing and for Connacht and then gone back to the right because of Lowey.
“If I’m playing with someone and they prefer a certain wing, it doesn’t bother me, I’ll just play the other. So no, it hasn’t been intentional to be like, ‘look at me, I’m going to fill James’s shoes’, which I don’t think anyone can, he’s a phenomenal player and I loved playing with Lowey.”
Hansen’s ability to roam the backline and link the play is one of his standout qualities, and he acknowledges how the role of the modern winger continues to evolve.
“I’m just trying to do whatever I can to help the team, to help win. Actually, my uncle called me after the game (Connacht v Zebre), he goes eight tries on the weekend, no wingers scored, like what’s going on there?
“Gone are the days of that I think, you still have a couple of guys that are out-and-out scorers and that’s what they do, but especially the way Stu (Lancaster) wants us (Connacht) to play, we’re staying busy, I think we’re helping in setting up tries and adding to it that way, so that’s all Stu says.
“He’s given us pretty clear-cut plans on what he wants us to do and that’s get around, get our hands on the ball, create that extra number and in fairness I think we’ve been doing that pretty well, so that’s all my mindset going into the game, it’s just how can I get involved, how I can get my hands on the ball and make an impact. It’s not taking any breaks at any point, I think he’s elevated my game in fairness.”
Last season, Hansen only lined out once for Connacht. Before the 2026/27 campaign started, he told The 42 how Connacht boss Stuart Lancaster has been “pushing me to be world-class.”
Hansen will have a key role to play in the November games. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
And while he’s made a bright start to the season, Hansen has, in his own words, been “a bit rusty” across the first block of games.
“Well, that’s the thing,” Hansen explains. “Stu is telling me I’m not at my best. And that’s what you want. That’s what I want from him too. I don’t want somebody telling me I’m great if I’m not doing great.
“At Connacht at the moment, the wingers that we’ve got, the guys coming through, I’m under pressure every week to be at my best, which I think is going to make me better as a player. You rise to the occasion or you don’t.
“At the moment, I’m seeing it as a blessing. I’ve got to be good every week. I don’t think I’ve been bad, but I think I’ve still got a way to go.
“In fairness to Stu, he’s sat me down and told me that. It’s a challenge, but I think I’m up to it. As it goes on, I’m feeling more confident. I’ve just got to keep adding. Otherwise, there’s people waiting in the wings to take my spot.”
It’s a huge month for an Ireland team who know they have “work to do” in catching up with the likes of South Africa, France and New Zealand ahead of the World Cup.
“I think we’re challenging ourselves big time on those big games and nailing those big games, that’s probably something that we haven’t done, as of late,” Hansen says.
“Still been plenty of games that we’ve… You know, we talk about the win in South Africa (2024), wins in Twickenham, there’s still games that we are doing it, but it’s just doing it consistently. It’s doing it every time.
“I think that’s what that team before the World Cup did so well was, we went 17 in a row, we were so good at staying on it and that’s what we want to recreate.
The winger's most recent cap came against the Springboks last November. Gary Carr / INPHO
Gary Carr / INPHO / INPHO
“We feel like we’re maybe just that step or two off, but that’s exciting. I think at the time, when you see number one, there’s all this pressure on you where I feel like it leaves us in a good place to almost fly under the radar where we can still build, we know we’ve got stuff to improve, but I don’t think we’re that far off it, by any means.”
Of course, it all leads to a World Cup in Hansen’s homeland. The Connacht man used some of his injury lay-off to fly back to Australia, where he was groomsman at a friend’s wedding and was able to spend some valuable time with his grandmother, who recently passed.
And across the trip, the 2027 World Cup was a common talking point.
“People are already asking me for tickets. I tell them I haven’t made the squad yet so I can’t confirm anything. It would be cool, but there’s so much more to play for in between that.
“Faz had a really good chat yesterday (Monday) where he set out the scene of what we’ve got to come and what we can achieve before we even get to the World Cup.
“It would be amazing to make that and hopefully everything goes well and I can stay healthy and keep playing well and that will take care of itself and I’ll be in there, but before that there’s so much more that we need to focus on.”
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'I was worried maybe that was going to be it' - Hansen returns to Ireland camp with 'new foot'
“I’VE GOT THREE screws in my shoulder, a screw in my wrist, a TightRope in my ankle, six screws in my foot.”
Mack Hansen is sitting on the edge of the indoor pitch at Abbotstown, listing off some of the repair work his body has required over the years. The latest setback kept him out of Ireland camp for two full windows, missing the 2026 Six Nations and Southern Hemisphere leg of the Nations Championship.
The long wait to wear the Ireland shirt again will end over the upcoming November Tests against Argentina, Fiji and South Africa, where Hansen will take to the pitch with what he describes as “a new foot”, which is still loosening out.
“I ended up getting it fused, getting six screws and a plate in there.
“It was still sore for a good while. But in saying that, it hasn’t even been a year since I got the surgery, I think it’s just going to take time more than anything to build the load up through the foot.
“I just have to get used to the way I run, the way I move; everything like that takes time.”
The injury happened on last year’s Lions tour, Hansen feeling something after stepping on someone’s foot in the closing stages of a tour game against the ANZAC side. The initial scans didn’t show anything too worrying, but the issue kept niggling away. Eventually a clearer picture formed and surgery was required. The recovery was slow, and at times mentally challenging.
“There was a period there where I was a bit worried, to be honest,” Hansen admits.
“I’ve been very lucky. I’ve had great people around me. People up here and people down in Connacht that were doing everything they possibly could.
“There was a good period there, it just wasn’t getting better. I felt like I’d take a step forward and two steps back for a while. I’ve had it with most injuries I’ve ever had. One day it just sort of clicks.
“On the other side of that, I think you always worry as a player with a big injury like that if you’re going to be able to come back and play like you were.
“That was probably the main thing I was battling with. I’ve had some pretty big injuries that I’ve gotten back from. I thought I could do it. But then again, I didn’t want to come back and just be another guy. I wanted to be able to add to a team like I used to. If I couldn’t do that, I probably wouldn’t be here.”
His physical recovery has hit its targets. Hansen says he is now “the strongest I’ve ever been” while “speed-wise, I’m not far off.”
And he’s clearly relishing being back in Ireland camp. He’ll be a key man again for Andy Farrell’s side in the lead up to the 2027 World Cup. Capable of playing across the back three, the 28-year-old has played once on the right wing for Connacht this season, before making three appearances on the left. That number 11 jersey is of course now up for grabs with Ireland since James Lowe left for Japan.
“Some guys just prefer playing on different wings, I don’t mind. Like I started off on the left wing and for Connacht and then gone back to the right because of Lowey.
“If I’m playing with someone and they prefer a certain wing, it doesn’t bother me, I’ll just play the other. So no, it hasn’t been intentional to be like, ‘look at me, I’m going to fill James’s shoes’, which I don’t think anyone can, he’s a phenomenal player and I loved playing with Lowey.”
Hansen’s ability to roam the backline and link the play is one of his standout qualities, and he acknowledges how the role of the modern winger continues to evolve.
“I’m just trying to do whatever I can to help the team, to help win. Actually, my uncle called me after the game (Connacht v Zebre), he goes eight tries on the weekend, no wingers scored, like what’s going on there?
“He’s given us pretty clear-cut plans on what he wants us to do and that’s get around, get our hands on the ball, create that extra number and in fairness I think we’ve been doing that pretty well, so that’s all my mindset going into the game, it’s just how can I get involved, how I can get my hands on the ball and make an impact. It’s not taking any breaks at any point, I think he’s elevated my game in fairness.”
Last season, Hansen only lined out once for Connacht. Before the 2026/27 campaign started, he told The 42 how Connacht boss Stuart Lancaster has been “pushing me to be world-class.”
And while he’s made a bright start to the season, Hansen has, in his own words, been “a bit rusty” across the first block of games.
“Well, that’s the thing,” Hansen explains. “Stu is telling me I’m not at my best. And that’s what you want. That’s what I want from him too. I don’t want somebody telling me I’m great if I’m not doing great.
“At Connacht at the moment, the wingers that we’ve got, the guys coming through, I’m under pressure every week to be at my best, which I think is going to make me better as a player. You rise to the occasion or you don’t.
“In fairness to Stu, he’s sat me down and told me that. It’s a challenge, but I think I’m up to it. As it goes on, I’m feeling more confident. I’ve just got to keep adding. Otherwise, there’s people waiting in the wings to take my spot.”
It’s a huge month for an Ireland team who know they have “work to do” in catching up with the likes of South Africa, France and New Zealand ahead of the World Cup.
“I think we’re challenging ourselves big time on those big games and nailing those big games, that’s probably something that we haven’t done, as of late,” Hansen says.
“Still been plenty of games that we’ve… You know, we talk about the win in South Africa (2024), wins in Twickenham, there’s still games that we are doing it, but it’s just doing it consistently. It’s doing it every time.
“I think that’s what that team before the World Cup did so well was, we went 17 in a row, we were so good at staying on it and that’s what we want to recreate.
“We feel like we’re maybe just that step or two off, but that’s exciting. I think at the time, when you see number one, there’s all this pressure on you where I feel like it leaves us in a good place to almost fly under the radar where we can still build, we know we’ve got stuff to improve, but I don’t think we’re that far off it, by any means.”
Of course, it all leads to a World Cup in Hansen’s homeland. The Connacht man used some of his injury lay-off to fly back to Australia, where he was groomsman at a friend’s wedding and was able to spend some valuable time with his grandmother, who recently passed.
And across the trip, the 2027 World Cup was a common talking point.
“People are already asking me for tickets. I tell them I haven’t made the squad yet so I can’t confirm anything. It would be cool, but there’s so much more to play for in between that.
“Faz had a really good chat yesterday (Monday) where he set out the scene of what we’ve got to come and what we can achieve before we even get to the World Cup.
“It would be amazing to make that and hopefully everything goes well and I can stay healthy and keep playing well and that will take care of itself and I’ll be in there, but before that there’s so much more that we need to focus on.”
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Ireland Mack Hansen October return of the mack Rugby