By:
Conor Martin
Ireland and Connacht winger Mack Hansen has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after a long-running foot injury finally brought his campaign to a halt.
The issue has dogged Hansen since last summer, when he first picked it up during the Lions tour. Although he attempted to manage the problem through rehabilitation and careful workload monitoring, it never fully settled and continued to resurface at key moments across the season. What initially appeared manageable gradually became an ongoing concern for both club and country.
Connacht and Ireland star has dealt with injury all season
The injury flared up again in October while Hansen was in action for Connacht against the Bulls, limiting his impact and raising fresh doubts over his availability. Despite efforts to play through the discomfort, the problem re-emerged just weeks later on the international stage during Ireland’s defeat to South Africa, forcing a reassessment of his condition.
Following further medical evaluation, Hansen underwent surgery in December in a bid to finally resolve the issue rather than rely on short-term fixes. While the procedure was successful, the recovery process means he will not return to competitive action before the end of the current campaign.
When speaking about a Hansen return this season, Connacht head coach Stuart Lancaster said: “It will be tight. It will be a struggle, I think,” when asked if Hansen would play again for the province this season.
His absence is a major setback for Connacht, who will be without one of their most influential and creative attacking threats for the season run-in. It is also a blow for Ireland, where Hansen has become a trusted and energetic presence since his breakthrough onto the international scene.
Ireland could be without Mack Hansen for two competitions
The news means that Hansen will miss out on a place in Ireland’s Six Nations squad, with Andy Farrell due to announce his team for this year’s Six Nations on Wednesday afternoon.
Whether the winger can recover in time to play any part in Ireland’s inaugural Nations Championship this summer remains uncertain, with Farrell’s side scheduled to face Australia, Japan and New Zealand on a Southern Hemisphere tour in July.
The priority now is a full and unhurried recovery. With the underlying problem addressed, Hansen will now hope to return next season fully fit, refreshed and ready to rediscover the form that made him such a vital figure for both province and country.
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