Mack Hansen unlikely to make first Lions Test after sitting out training again
again took no part in the British and Irish
Lions
' training session on Tuesday in Brisbane. Just four days out from the first Test against the
Wallabies
, it appears as if the Connacht the winger has effectively been ruled out of contention.
In any event, there was a notably less optimistic outlook for Hansen from the Lions' assistant coach Richard Wigglesworth, who confirmed that the player had incurred a foot injury in the 48-0 win over an Invitational XV in the Adelaide Oval last Saturday.
Bracketing him with Blair Kinghorn, whose knee injury in the win over the Brumbies last Wednesday necessitated a call-up for Jamie Osborne, Wigglesworth admitted to having 'a doubt' about Hansen's participation although the player is 'definitely not ruled out'. By their standards, that's Lions-speak for 'crocked'.
'A bit like Blair, we will find out tomorrow, he didn't train fully today so we will know a bit more tomorrow.'
READ MORE
Wigglesworth confirmed that Hansen's injury, rather than Garry Ringrose's concussion, was the reason behind Darcy Graham linking up with the Lions on Monday ahead of his Scottish team-mates.
'Potentially we needed to make sure we were covered numbers-wise an for the games coming up. That was why he was out a bit quicker, because of Blair and Mack not being on their feet today and potentially tomorrow.'
Asked if Hansen was a serious doubt for Saturday, Wigglesworth said: 'Yeah, because as I said it's the same with Blair. If they get on the field tomorrow and they're better, then they're right in contention. We've not finalised anything yet.
'A doubt is anyone who didn't train fully today but he's definitely not ruled out.'
Thomas Clarkson arrived bleary-eyed in Brisbane and linked up with the squad on Tuesday and will train with them on Wednesday.
'I think we can definitely get better because there is actually time,' said Wigglesworth. 'What we have had to do is a lot of walk-throughs, low-intensity stuff and a lot of meetings and reviews in prep but there is a game going on. This is a chance to train what you want to get better at, as well as the plans and what we have been doing. So we expect to be better again on Saturday.
As to whether the Lions might tighten their approach in the Tests, he said: 'I think every game is different, you don't know where the game is going to played, how it is going to be refereed, where the space is going to be so we will adapt to what that looks like.
'We have been ambitious because that is where we felt the space was and the options at the time, if that presents itself Saturday night then that is what we will want to do, if it doesn't we will need to find a different way of trying to win the Test match.'
The assistant coaches have not been given any labels per se, as Wigglesworth, the England attack coach, dovetails with Andrew Goodman, the Ireland attack coach, and Johnny Sexton, who is primarily working with the kickers.
Farrell wants it to be 'as collaborative as possible and bounce ideas off each other' according to Wigglesworth 'with everyone feeling like they can contribute and help with what's going on. It helps that I've got on with those two [Sexton and Goodman] really well – they're top coaches and more importantly top men. I've enjoyed working with them and getting to know them.'
Wigglesworth admits that the attack is the hardest part of developing a team.
'Naturally, it's going to look a bit clunky at times, but there were reasons for that. We didn't get the breakdown right for a couple of games and there's not a team in world rugby who looks good without a decent breakdown. We were better at that at the weekend and we know we need to be better at that again this weekend.'
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Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
Joe Schmidt plots unlikely Lions scalp amid feeling of ‘now or never' for Australian rugby
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Australia : Tom Wright (Brumbies); Max Jorgensen (Force), Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii (Waratahs) Len Ikitau (Brumbies); Harry Potter (Waratahs); Tom Lynagh (Reds), Jake Gordon (Waratahs); James Slipper (Brumbies), Matt Faessler (Reds), Allan Alaalatoa (Brumbies), Nick Frost (Brumbies), Jeremy Williams (Force), Nick Champion de Crespigny* (Force), Fraser McReight (Reds), Harry Wilson (Reds, capt). 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Irish Times
2 hours ago
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Gerry Thornley's Lions Tour Diary: Take me to Churchie, then Death and Taxes
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'The phrase, I learnt it in politics, I can't remember who said it exactly, but the phrase is power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. That definitely applies to Bundee Aki!' Tuesday The Lions put forward Jack Conan and Dan Sheehan for media duties, back in Churchie again. Conan spent much of his formative years being educated and playing rugby at St Gerard's School, a fee-paying, Catholic co-ed school in Bray on a sprawling 60-acre site which caters for 700 or so pupils. But no less than St Peter's College in Adelaide, with its Harry Potter-like setting on 90 acres, Conan is taken by the old colonial splendour of the school, which caters for almost 2,000 pupils. The Lions have imposed restrictions in filming at their training sessions to official photographers and camera crews – ie no social media activity is permitted, and this will apply to the captain's runs. It seems needless and petty, but adds to the friction on tour between the Lions and the media. 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He made his Lions Test debut in the 23-21 win in the corresponding first Test in 2013 when Kurtley Beale slipped in attempting a long-range penalty with the game's last kick. 'The occasion, the atmosphere, the crowd, that's the thing that always lives with you,' said Sexton. 'Obviously when Kurtley slipped and missed the kick, the euphoria that we felt, but again just shows the margins of professional sport and top-level sport like we're going to witness tomorrow. It's going to come down to something small like that and hopefully we'll be on the right side of it.'
Irish Times
4 hours ago
- Irish Times
Johnny Sexton backs ‘flash' Finn Russell to produce his best on first Lions start
The British & Irish Lions assistant coach Johnny Sexton has insisted that Finn Russell is still 'flash' but believes the Scotland playmaker has the temperament to shine on his first Test start for the tourists against Australia on Saturday. Sexton described Russell as a 'media darling' and as 'flashy' before he was named as one of Andy Farrell's assistant coaches, making for a potentially awkward reunion with Russell upon his appointment. Russell is taking part in his third Lions tour but makes his first Test start, having impressed off the bench in the series decider against South Africa four years ago, while he played a bit-part role as one of the 'Geography Six' in 2017. Sexton, who made his Lions debut in Brisbane 12 years ago, admits he has been pleasantly surprised by Russell in Australia and, with the tourists heavy favourites to defeat the Wallabies, believes the Scot can help his side deal with the expectation. READ MORE 'Oh, he's still flash, yeah! He'd hate it if I said 'no',' said Sexton. 'But in the last couple of years he's come into his own as a 10 and he's been able to manage a team because ultimately that's the main job that he's got, is to manage all the guys around him. And then his brilliance will come out, once he's into the game. Finn Russell lines up a kick during the captain's run ahead of the first Test between the Lions and Australia at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Saturday. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho 'He has been relaxed as always, you wouldn't know it's the week of a Test match. You can see the work he does, though. You have a perception of him from the outside and I would have said the same, in terms of he is a relaxed guy and just takes things in his stride. But he does a lot of work behind the scenes, and he's been really good this week in prepping the team. Hopefully he'll continue his form. 'Like everyone, I think in the last couple of years he's really matured as a player. You can see, Bath getting to finals, winning trophies, you can't do that if you're just that kind of mercurial 10. You've seen that now this year. 'He's got his team over the line and he's won a few trophies and he's carried that form into here. We always knew, particularly when you're surrounding him with the players he's got around him, he's going to bring the best out of them and they'll bring the best out of him.' Sexton also praised Russell's defensive capabilities with opponents seemingly targeting him as a weak link to date. 'Well, he's been probably our best defender in the backline on this tour so far, I would say,' added Sexton. 'You always knew that was in there, he's a feisty guy out there. 'Physically he doesn't look that big but he's fronted up big time on this tour, a lot of impact tackles and we'll need him in that regard because they'll be coming down his channel, I'm sure.' Meanwhile, the Wallabies are confident lightning will not strike twice in Brisbane, 12 years after Kurtley Beale slipped and missed a last-gasp penalty to hand the Lions victory in the first Test. Overnight rain made for wet conditions for Australia's captain's run but Harry Wilson said: 'It's obviously a bit slippery, so it's something we've definitely paid attention to and hope to not make the same mistake.' – Guardian
