'As soon as you let up, you're going to lose your spot' - Hansen not letting his guard down

Mack Hansen has fond memories of Wales, and for good reason.

Twelve months ago, the Connacht wing was handed his debut against the Welsh in the opening round of the Guinness Six Nations at the Aviva Stadium, and while he didn't get on the scoresheet, his contribution was significant enough for him to be named Player of the Match.

It says a lot for the 24-year-old's ascension in rugby that when he was named on the right wing for Saturday's game against Wales, for what will be his 10th Test cap, his inclusion had barely been debated.

"Yeah, Test rugby stuff's easy, isn't it!?", he jokes, when asked about his rapid rise through the game in Ireland, arriving in Connacht as a relative unknown in the summer of 2021 to become an instant favourite with the province.

The Irish rugby public warmed to him instantly, and not just for what he was doing on the pitch. Off the field, his laidback, unassuming nature is an unusual one for international sportspeople.

Even when laced with sarcasm, his reference to Test rugby being "easy" is one the majority of players in the Irish squad wouldn't dare utter in public, for fear it would be pinned to a dressing room wall. And even if it was, you get the feeling it wouldn't bother Hansen.

That's not to say he's undaunted by what the game has to offer.

A week after his debut against Wales, he started on the wing against France, and while he scored a memorable individual try in Ireland's 30-24 defeat, he admits to being slightly overawed in the hopping 81,000 Stade de France. And he's hoping that stands him in good stead for what is likely to be a raucous Principality Stadium this weekend.

"I'm not going to lie, it was a little shock to the system. I'd never really played in front of anything like that