Mack Hansen set to miss Lions’ first Test vs Australia due to foot Injury
.jpg "Ireland's Mack Hansen had impressed in games against the Western Force and the AUNZ Invitational XV")
Ireland's Mack Hansen had impressed in games against the Western Force and the AUNZ Invitational XV
©Photo by Julian Finney - World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images
Ireland winger Mack Hansen looks set to miss the British & Irish Lions’ opening Test against Australia on Saturday due to a foot injury.
His absence is likely to be compounded by the unavailability of full-back Blair Kinghorn, with both players missing Tuesday’s training session.
While the Lions have yet to formally rule either player out, reports from Australia suggest head coach Andy Farrell has already finalised his matchday squad.
Hansen was lively in the Lions' 48-0 victory over the AUNZ Invitational XV on Saturday and had potentially put his hand up for a starting spot ahead of Tommy Freeman or fellow countryman James Lowe.
However, it now looks as though the 27-year-old will miss the first Test in Brisbane.
John Dalziel, the Lions’ forwards coach, had dismissed any concerns over Hansen’s fitness on Monday but it has since emerged that the Ireland international did in fact suffer an injury during Saturday’s match.
The Lions have called up Scotland winger Darcy Graham 'to provide cover' for the First Nations & Pasifika XV fixture next Tuesday.
Speaking to the assembled media in Australia, assistant coach Richard Wigglesworth said: "He [Hansen] hurt his foot in the game. I don’t think it is anything serious, but he was managed today.
"Hopefully he will be fully integrated pretty quickly. It is nothing that we are overly concerned about, but we need to make sure we have enough numbers at training. But it doesn’t look too serious. A doubt is anyone who didn’t train fully today, but he’s definitely not ruled out.
“We know we have got such quality across all positions so we would be lying if we said [team selection] was easy. In terms of how quick it was, there have been two or three conversations. We have picked and we will tell the lads tomorrow.
"Nothing has been announced so that’s always subject to change in terms of how they’ve trained and what that’s looked like. That’s why these things are kept back a bit."
The other injury headline from Down Under was the fitness of Kinghorn. With the Scotland international also sitting out training, Hugo Keenan is expected to start at full-back following his assured showing against the AUNZ Invitational XV.
As the clock ticks down towards the first Test, all eyes will be on Farrell's team selection and whether a certain Owen Farrell might be included.
On Saturday, Farrell Jnr produced a composed cameo at 12 from the bench and Wigglesworth - who played alongside the 112-capped England international - added: “I’ve enjoyed [working with him again]. He’s done exactly what we knew he was going to do in terms of help and influence, and obviously contribute on the field when that time came up.
"It’s been great to work with him again, but I was probably more excited for all those who hadn’t worked with him, to be able to experience that. He’s been great, as we knew he would be. Not everyone did, but we knew.
"It’s been on record hundreds of times about Owen. You all know how good he is, the influence he has, his knowledge and how he helps other people get better. We all knew how good he was going to be and it’s been that way. He’s the influential Owen that we know and love."
