Brumby-turned-Irish star Mack Hansen can put the envy of watching mates ‘smoking vapes and drinking beer’ in France as he prepares for one of the biggest games of his life against New Zealand at Stade de France.
Whilst the Wallabies are on their way back home, Hansen is one of several with ties to Australia still flying the flag in some regards at the World Cup.
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The former Junior Wallaby has thrived since making the switch to Ireland at the end of 2021.
It took Hansen just nine games for Connacht before he was rewarded with a debut for his adopted nation, representing his Cork-born mother’s heritage.
He hasn’t looked back since earning player of the match on his debut against Wales in February 2022, finishing the year with nomination for World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year.
“It’s an absolute privilege,” he said before his World Cup debut against Tonga.
“I didn’t know if I’d ever get the opportunity.
“A lot of my mates are over. It’s tough getting Snapchats of them smoking vapes and drinking beer while I’m trying to prepare for the game. It’s good craic. It will be good to catch up with them. It’s been nice to get that aspect, outside of playing, and seeing how much the World Cup means to people.
“People have been planning this for the last four years so seeing everybody really enjoying themselves is great.”
Hansen’s rise has been meteoric, even attracting the attention of global brand Red Bull, whose athlete profile for the winger labelling him as ‘Ireland’s hottest rugby property of 2023.’
However, his journey to the quarter-final wasn’t smooth sailing, hurting his calf in last week’s Scotland defeat after earlier gone off for a head injury assessment.
“He is fully fit to go, yeah,” said coach Andy Farrell of Hansen at the press conference following the announcement of the team.
“He obviously had a few things to do at the beginning of the week but he’s coming good and everyone’s very confident that he’s going to be fine for the game, no problem.”
He’s not the only one with Australian links in the Irish side, with prop Finally Bealham also born in Canberra and facing off against former Junior Wallaby Tyrel Lomax.
This extends across the tournament, with Michael Cheika returning to the World Cup quarter-finals four years on with Argentina, four years on from the Wallabies’ 2019 exit in Japan, as they prepare to face Wales in Marseille
His former assistant Simon Raiwalui will follow him at Stade Marseille as Fiji look to replicate their upset over England.
The team includes Reds prop Peni Rawai, former Rebels scrum half Frank Lomani, Australian-bred lock Isoa Nasilasila and ex-NRL star Semi Radradra amongst others.
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