Mack Hansen says he appears like resides in “an alternate universe” on the eve of his first begin for the British & Irish Lions in his native Australia. The winger, certified for Eire via his Cork-born mom, was a teen within the crowd when the Lions final toured Australia 12 years in the past and can’t wait to line up in opposition to considered one of his outdated housemates this weekend.
The 27-year-old represented his homeland at under-20 degree however says relocating to Europe was “the very best choice I ever made”. Nonetheless he has been pinching himself ever since flying in as a member of the 2025 Lions squad. “It appears like I’m correctly residing the dream,” admitted Hansen earlier than Saturday morning’s fixture in opposition to Western Power, for whom his former Brumbies colleague and good good friend Bayley Kuenzle now performs.
“On the final Lions tour I used to be on the recreation in Canberra and the Brumbies beat them. My dad, my brother and me had been sitting behind the goalposts watching it. It was mad. It looks as if an alternate universe. I bear in mind the thrill round Australia and seeing these gamers you didn’t actually get to see. It was wonderful. I all the time beloved the Lions and I didn’t know it could be one thing that I’d get to do. However I’m right here and I’m having fun with it.”
That formative expertise additionally taught him simply how determined the native Tremendous Rugby sides are to take down the Lions. “You don’t anticipate anybody to really do it however I talked to guys [at the Brumbies] after that they usually’d been pumped up for the sport for weeks. They noticed it because the be-all and end-all.”
Hansen, who has 28 Take a look at caps, has completely no regrets about declaring for Eire, the place his allegiance is so full he has a tattoo of [head coach] Andy Farrell’s face on his leg. “I haven’t actually seemed again at it and puzzled: ‘What if?’ I’ve simply been going ahead with Eire. I’ve obtained a brand new life over there, new associates, new household. For me, it’s undoubtedly the very best choice I’ve ever made.”
He additionally says his Aussie mates will now be anticipated to assist the Lions – “I’m anticipating them to be carrying crimson; if not they received’t be getting tickets” – however accepts the touring workforce want a victory following their 28-24 defeat by Argentina in Dublin final week. “In case you get the chance to play within the crimson jersey then, yeah, try to be profitable video games. We’re [drawn from] 4 of the very best groups on this planet, so the expectation is to win no matter who you’re taking part in.
“There have been just a few excuses we may have had however we’ve thrown them out the door. On the finish of the day [we have] a number of the finest gamers on this planet. You ought to be profitable each time. So each time it’s a loss it simply isn’t adequate. We all know we’ll get our heads completely chewed off if it occurs once more so the plan is to win from right here on out. The one factor that may beat us is us actually.”
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Hansen’s expertise of Eire’s tactical method, at present within the means of being transplanted to the Lions, may additional improve his prospects of constructing the Lions Take a look at facet, with the Power recreation providing a really perfect probability to press his claims forward of, amongst others, England’s Tommy Freeman “We’ve all obtained completely different strengths. The opposite guys can be a bit faster and extra bodily than me. That’s not my recreation. For me, my principal power is my work off the ball. That’s my focus quite a lot of the time: maintain working laborious and try to get into the sport wherever I can.”