RETURN OF THE MACK

After nine months on the sidelines, Mack Hansen wants to get back to the very top..

- PATRICK McCARRY

GROWING UP, Mack Hansen had two solid reasons to strap on his headgear - keeping his mum happy and Stephen Larkham. Diana Hansen and the Wallabies legend are key figures in the journey of the Gungahlin Eagle turned Connacht and Ireland sensation. So is his dad, Craig.

"They're definitely the main reason why I am where I am," says Hansen.

"We never really went on holidays or anything like that. Holidays were travelling around Australia to rugby comps, wherever I had them on. They made a lot of sacrifices in their life so that I could be here now. My biggest influences and supporters by far." There is a perception of Hansen, and one he has leaned into, of an easy-going lad that loves his beers and speaks his mind with no filter and little fear of repercussion. One of his old-school traits is that lack of 'say nothing' media training that guides so many of the current pros.

That is only one side to Hansen, though. This is a guy that set his sights on making something of himself, in the sporting world, at an early age and was not afraid to take some risks to make his dreams happen. He backs himself, as the Brumbies and Rugby Australia found when they dallied back in 2021.

Hansen's first team was the Uni-Norths Owls Juniors, back in Canberra. His early heroes were Larkham and then Matt Giteau-two versatile backs that could plug in across the back-line. By the time he was settling in at Daramalan College, Jesse Mogg was the next player to take inspiration from.

"Jesse was electric when he first came to the Brums. He was playing out of his skin the whole time. When the Lions tour came over (in 2013), I fell in love with a lot of their players, too. I would have grown up watching a lot of Super Rugby and the Rugby Championship and been very much into that. Then you get to see guys like George North and Leigh Halfpenny.