Mack Hansen‘s versatility will again be utilised by Ireland in Saturday evening’s match against Australia at the Aviva Stadium. With Hugo Keenan and Jamie Osborne ruled out through injury, Andy Farrell turns to the Connacht player to wear the green 15 jersey for the first time.
Hansen’s ability to play a variety of roles is well documented. The 27-year-old has played across the backline, on both the right and left wings for Ireland. His sense of wanderlust makes him tricky for his opponents to track as a first receiver, running between the centres or inside the outhalf as well as the more orthodox trappings of wing play.
His 29th cap offers a new job description, although he has previously fulfilled the remit for Connacht. Including last year’s November series, Ireland have played 13 Tests. During that time, three players have been used at fullback. Hansen will make it four against Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies.
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Keenan is the gold standard. But what does that look like, particularly in some of the basic metrics? Keenan played seven of those Tests. He averaged 49.41 metres (346 total) per game. This was skewed slightly by a mammoth 100 metres in the defeat to France, with his lowest being the 16 metres he made against Scotland.
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He made 77 carries at an average of 11 per game, 54 passes (7.71 per game) and 20 tackles (2.85 per game). Osborne played four Tests at fullback, his averages being 33.75 metres, seven carries, 3.75 passes and 2.5 tackles.
Jimmy O’Brien, a replacement for Osborne against Japan, played the two summer games and, unsurprisingly, the 106-7 victory over Portugal distorts his averages: 66 metres, 12 carries, 8.5 passes and 0.5 tackles. He made one tackle in the two starts, according to the official statistics.
One aspect of Keenan’s all-round game that separates him from his deputies is his ability to add huge value in attack. In seven games, he beat 14 defenders and made seven clean breaks. In comparison, Osborne’s four matches yielded one clean break and three defenders beaten.
Hansen’s forte is his ability to bamboozle defenders with footwork, while he also can mesmerise them with a conjuror’s sleight of hand. His interaction with wings Tommy O’Brien and James Lowe will be pivotal in curtailing access to the Irish backfield for Wallaby outhalf James O’Connor in terms of the kicking game.
How the back three align defensively is something that comes through communication and speaking time in general. That luxury won’t be afforded on Saturday, so Hansen will have to learn on the fly. Robbie Henshaw’s street smarts at outside centre will have a bearing on shutting down the edges.
Hansen boasts the kicking game of an outhalf and is good aerially, but his tackling and defending must be composed and assured. Anyone who has watched him play understands what a brilliant player he is going forward, which is why his selection at fullback will have a universal appeal.
Farrell has put his faith in Hansen. That must be repaid over the full 80 minutes on Saturday.
