'I was in a bit of a rut so I blamed it on the hair' - Hansen hoping new look can inspire his form

Had it not been for his unmistakable white scrumcap, you might have struggled to recognise Mack Hansen at the Sportsground on Saturday night.

A new year has brought a new look, and a first trip to the barbershop for two years. The shoulder-length Tarzan locks are gone, replaced with short back and sides, while the beard has also been skinned, making him look even younger than his 24 years would suggest.

There will be bigger stories in this World Cup year than 'man gets haircut', but as Hansen explains, there was a significance to the streamlining.

"I wasn't happy with how I was playing, I felt like I was in a bit of a rut so I blamed it on the hair," he says, after helping Connacht to a bonus-point 24-12 win against the Sharks on Saturday.

"It's the new me! It was just time to get rid of it."

Hansen wasn't the only one at the Sportsground with a noteworthy haircut, as 21-year-old lock Darragh Murray cut off his already iconic mullet after the game to help provide wigs for children undergoing cancer treatment, as well as raising more than €12,000 for LauraLynn Ireland's Children's Hospice.

The mullet is no more! ✂️ And thanks to your incredible generosity over €9,000 has been raised