Latest news with #Connacht
Daily Mirror
17 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
British Lions star 'wasn't good enough for Australia' & has Andy Farrell tattoo
Mack Hansen was born and raised in Australia but, despite playing age grade rugby, never represented the Wallabies and so led to a move to Ireland, which means he'll play against his homeland for the Lions You'd be forgiven for thinking that a player who got their head coach's face tattooed on them was a teacher's pet, but not in this case. British and Irish Lions star Mack Hansen honoured a bet to get the Wigan legend inked on his leg. Farrell has had a profound impact on Hansen's career. He saw quality in the Connacht winger and picked him for Ireland, beginning a sequence of events that meant Hansen, who is Australian born, will now play against the Wallabies this summer. When fit the Ireland back three has picked itself. Hansen on one wing, James Lowe on the other and Hugo Keenan and fullback. All three men are on tour and they helped Ireland achieve the Grand Slam back in the 2023 Six Nations. The Irish were firmly on the rise. They'd beaten New Zealand in their own backyard only months earlier and Hansen, who already boasts a number of tattoos, claimed he'd get Farrell inked on him if Ireland won all five games. "Johnny Sexton seemed to remember about the tattoo the whole way through the Six Nations and kind of reminded me towards the end," he told the Evening Standard. "I'm a man of my word, I said I would get it and so I did. Andy's done great stuff for this team and for Irish rugby, on and off the pitch. I can definitely think of worse people to have on my leg, so it's not too bad." Farrell has become adopted by the Irish such has been his impact on their rugby scene. Those exploits saw him land the Lions job and among his 38-man squad are a number of players who would be wearing the Australian shirt this summer had things gone differently. Hansen was a Wallaby at U20 level and came through the ranks with the Brumbies. The Canberra-based outfit are currently the country's top performing side, but they were willing to shop Hansen about. There were no takers. And so he left Australia to take up a deal with Connacht in 2021. Within a year he debuted for Ireland given he was eligible through his Cork-born mother and the rest, as they say, is history. Hansen has come up with numerous viral moments, including some accidental explicits during very raw interviews. He's become one of the most likeable players on the planet - and one of the most relatable. Ireland's gain has certainly been Australia's loss. They had Hansen in their talent pool but a lack of recognition sent him halfway across the world to Galway, where he has earned iconic status. Former Wallaby midfielder Morgan Turinui insists the Ireland - and now Lions - winger would never have got a look in had he stayed in his homeland. 'I don't think he would have got picked here,' he previously said on Stan Sport's Between Two Posts podcast. 'That's the stupidity of it. He wasn't anywhere near it, really. Like the chat was that the Brumbies had their succession plan. They went to the other Super (Rugby) teams – his management, whatever – said, 'Who wants him?' No one wanted him. 'And he was a good footballer, but good football didn't stand out, whatever, you couldn't have picked him – well, I wouldn't have picked him to be this good at international level.' The last time the Lions headed to Australia was in 2013. It remains their last series victory. During the warm-up games the Brumbies were the only side to down the Lions and Hansen was in the crowd that day but is now in line to make his first Lions outing having been named among the replacements for Friday's game against Argentina. He admits he "feel in love with the concept" of what the Lions is. Now he gets the chance to be front and centre as he and his pal Farrell look to end 12 years of frustration.
Irish Times
18 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
Shane Walsh on coming back from injury: ‘It can knock you, you can go into your shell a bit. I definitely felt that'
At some point in Galway's frantic endgame against Armagh last Saturday, Shane Walsh shouted over at the sideline, asking what the score was up the road in Newry. There, the result of the Dublin-Derry game might help salvage Galway's summer. 'Never mind,' Walsh was promptly told, 'just win the game'. It was good advice. Despite trailing Armagh by eight points at the break, Galway's rousing second-half performance, inspired by Walsh's best championship display this summer, saw them win by a point – enough to set up an away preliminary quarter-final. When they drew Down on Monday morning, that refocused Galway minds again. It's their first championship meeting since 1971, which Galway won. But Down were the form team in the round-robin stages, top scorers of all 16 teams with their 4-78. Galway had the highest goal tally of eight, including two against Armagh. READ MORE 'It's game by game at this stage,' Walsh says in advance of Sunday's showdown in Newry. 'Obviously we just want to bring our best every day we go out. Have we brought our best so far? I don't believe so. 'But it's been hard, I suppose. We've had a bit of a broken spell with players missing, and that obviously affects the rhythm of the group too. I think we are getting there.' Walsh is talking about himself in terms of broken spells. He missed most of the Connacht championship with injury, and appeared well off his best against Dublin and Derry . Regaining full confidence against Armagh, where he finished with 0-9, including the match-winning free just after the hooter, was in part about his team-mates expressing their belief in him. 'I think that mattered a lot, and obviously having Pádraic [Joyce] there as well. Definitely as a forward, especially when you come back from an injury in the middle of the year. The lads are moving at a certain level and there's a certain synchronisation that they have out on the pitch,' Walsh says. [ Can Galway squeeze more from Shane Walsh and Damien Comer? Now is the time to find out Opens in new window ] 'You're trying to get to that pitch then as well. It's tough going and you're probably taking shots that you normally would score. But they're not coming off for you, maybe because you haven't had that repetition or you haven't had that time that the rest of them have. 'Then it can knock you, you can go into your shell a bit. I definitely felt that probably in the Dublin game, the Derry game a bit. But at the same time, Pádraic kind of passed on a couple of things to me. It stood to me going into the weekend, trained well for the two weeks, and it kind of followed into last Saturday.' Shane Walsh missed most of the Connacht championship with injury. Photograph: Sports File Under manager Conor Laverty, Down's confidence has been soaring. Despite losing to Donegal in the Ulster semi-final, they certainly won't fear Galway. 'We all know about going up to Newry, you never get it easy up there,' says Walsh. 'Conor Laverty always has his team well drilled. I know him, he's a lovely fellah off the field, but when it comes to his football, he's very serious about winning as well, and he'll do whatever it takes. 'Like Michael Murphy's a nice fellah, gentle off the field, and then when he goes on the field, he's just a possessed animal, really. It's great to be able to have that mindset, that you're able to switch between two. It can be hard at times to take yourself out of it and put yourself into it, but they seem to do it pretty well. 'It's another great challenge, if you get through it to build your confidence, build the belief in the team and build a bit of momentum.' Walsh required all his old confidence when standing over the free-kick, just outside the 40-metre line, to win the match last Saturday. He looks back on that process in three different steps. [ Conor McManus: Here's my ranking of the top 12 counties going into the knockouts Opens in new window ] 'Firstly, when you're walking over, you're just saying 'calm, this is my job now'. The rest of them have done their work to win the free. Then there's a few words coming your way from opposition and then the heart rate starts to go up a bit. 'Then you're coming back in saying, 'you've dreamt of this as a young lad'. This is what you grew up dreaming about, saying you want to be in these situations and just commit to the kick, be yourself. That's all I could do, thankfully it went over.' While Joyce has sometimes been critical of his team's performance, admitting he'll have a hard time picking his best 15 players for Sunday, Walsh believes it's all part of his plan to get the best out of them. 'We'd nearly be laughing and joking about some things. He could be saying things about us to the media. And sure, we know where he's coming from. It's not as if we'd be saying that's a personal attack or anything like that. 'You build confidence through yourself, but you also build it through your team-mates, your manager and the people around you as well. If people are knocking you, it obviously doesn't encourage you to do the things you're doing.'
Irish Independent
2 days ago
- Health
- Irish Independent
‘It's peace of mind when your blood sugar levels are consistent' – Liam Nolan aims to join fellow diabetes sufferer JJ Spaun at The Open
The Galway golfer (25) lies ninth in the race for 20 DP World Tour cards after racking up three top-four finishes in his first ten starts on the second-tier HotelPlanner Tour. There's a long way to go before the Barna, Co Galway native can dream of teeing it up on the main tour next year, but he resumes work in France next week with a spring in his step and some big goals. Not only has he signed a new sponsorship deal with DexCom, a global leader in real-time continuous glucose monitoring for people with diabetes, but he's also excited about building on a great start to the season and trying to qualify for The Open for the second year running. 'I'm delighted,' said Nolan, who watched with interest as fellow Type 1 diabetes suffering Spaun upstaged the stars to win the US Open at Oakmont on Sunday. 'Dexcom make those continuous glucose monitors, and they've just opened up their main manufacturing site for Europe in Galway, which will provide 1,000 jobs. 'So I was very excited when that happened and then they got the naming rights for Connacht's rugby stadium, which is the Dexcom stadium now. 'It just seemed like a perfect fit, me being from Galway, being a type one diabetic, and having a degree in Biomedical Engineering, it just made good sense. And they saw it the same way. So we were able to do a deal. Which is amazing.' Nolan was diagnosed as Type 1 diabetic when he was 14, but while Spaun was misdiagnosed initially as Type 2 in 2018, he got the correct diagnosis in 2021 and hasn't looked back. 'He started playing really well when he got the right treatment and it was great to see him win,' Nolan said. 'He definitely played the best.' Nolan was never misdiagnosed, but he has been playing brilliantly since turning professional and knows that close control of his condition is key. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more 'I have probably the best control over my blood sugar levels that I've ever had,' said Nolan, who, like Spaun, wears a blood sugar monitor on the course. 'And that frees you up to go and perform in every tournament. 'It's like a peace of mind thing when your blood sugar levels are consistent and within the right kind of parameters.' Nolan has not been quite as consistent on the course but while he has missed six cuts, most were by small margins and he's looking to build on his start to the season over the summer months. 'It's hard to know how your first year as a pro is going to go like you,' said the former Walker Cup player, who takes as much confidence from grinding to make the cut as he does from contending. 'You want to be confident in your own ability, but there's a bit of uncertainty there, so it's nice to know that my game kind of stacks up well to the pro life.' His next run of tournaments features the Irish Challenge at Killeen Castle in August, but he's also looking forward to competing in Final Qualifying for The Open at Dundonald Links on July 1. 'I qualified for The Open at Dundonald Links last year, so hopefully that'll conjure up some good memories,' Nolan said. 'It's just a really good test of ball striking and you're pretty much guaranteed the most wind and adverse conditions of any of the qualifying spots, which is why I went there last year. So I'm delighted to be going back there.' Nolan missed the cut at Royal Troon and admitted he was on cloud nine all week. But he plans to treat it like any other event if he qualifies this time around. 'I learned so much last year and prepared not how I would prepare for any other tournament, just because of how excited I was to be there,' he said. 'I was a bit giddier than I usually would be at a golf tournament. So, hopefully, all is going well this year; I want to go back to The Open but prepare how I would prepare for any other tournament. 'It was good to play my first major as an amateur, and make your mistakes then and learn from them. But I also wouldn't change how I prepared last time because it was a dream come true.' As for securing his DP World Tour card via the HotelPlanner Tour rankings, he admits he's not a fan of looking at where he stands in the Road to Mallorca list. 'I just try and go and play and try and win,' he explained. 'I don't think it benefits me knowing where I am.' As one of the more health-conscious players on tour, he won't be playing non-stop but choosing his schedule carefully before re-assessing things before the last few crucial events when the cards are on the line. 'I'll keep my head down until after the Dutch Challenge,' he said. 'When I'm at a tournament, I like to be fully rested and ready to go. I have a great team around me and great support, and DexCom is a great addition.'
Irish Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Andy Farrell's demand to Lions: Put your team-mates in the stand under pressure
Andy Farrell wants to see his Ireland stars in the stands put under pressure by the performance of his Lions at the Aviva Stadium. Ireland boss Farrell has his British and Irish Lions cap on now and so, while personal relationships may count for something on the upcoming tour of Australia, selection will be ruthless as he chases the Test series win against Joe Schmidt's Wallabies. Friday night's clash with Argentina is the start of the 10-game journey and what Farrell wants is to see "cohesion and connection" from his players - and for them to hit the ground running against a new-look Pumas side. What he senses is that no-one is trying to save themselves for the flight on Saturday. "Everyone's gung-ho to get going," Farrell declared. "There's no doubt about that. "Everyone wants to play. I'm sure there will be some lads twitching in the stand dying to get out there, a little bit of jealousy as well, and that's what we want. "100%, this is all about putting your best foot forward as a group. They're representing the group. This is a full-blown Test match for us, for all that are involved internally. We're lucky to have the quality of the Argentinian side to come over and test that. It's going to be a fantastic occasion." Farrell has picked six Ireland internationals for the opener - three starters in Munster skipper Tadhg Beirne and Connacht duo Finlay Bealham and Bundee Aki - plus three on the bench, Leinster's Tadhg Furlong and Rónan Kelleher plus Connacht's Mack Hansen. That means there is a large contingent of Irishmen who sit out tomorrow's encounter. There's Hugo Keenan and Jamison Park, who are coming back from injury - and apart from Kelleher, their seven Leinster team-mates who were involved in last Saturday's URC final victory. Farrell joked that he was impressed with their levels of sobriety after their brief celebrations before coming into Lions camp the following day. "It's tough for them coming in," admitted Farrell. "Because these lads are fully up to speed and bonded and these lads have subtly worked their way in and so the more they can come out of themselves or be themselves as soon as possible, the quicker they are going to learn. "There's quite a bit of experience in terms of being able to do that, so they've certainly added another dimension. We had a great session against Portugal in Quinta on Friday. "But it's a different level when the squad come back together, and we've got 15 on 15 and that type of talent going at one another. You can see the competitive nature and the talent that's in the room." Farrell's wish is that when those players not involved get on the plane Down Under that they will be fired up to get their own shows up and running, having been impressed by the Lions against Felipe Contepomi's Pumas. The message to the matchday squad on Friday is to put as much pressure on those not involved "as they possibly can," added Farrell. "And they should want that from each other," he said. "They should want this team on the weekend to put everyone who's in the stands under pressure as that's what the shirt should do. It should bring the best out of everyone - and everyone has to rise to that challenge." Farrell has spent the last 10 days trying to work out teams for the first few games in Australia but admits it's a moving feast. "That's the nature of touring," he said. "We don't know what we're going to have. "Touch wood we have a fully fit side on Saturday morning flying to Perth, but we've got to be ready for whatever is thrown at us. I've spent a lot of time thinking about what my Test side could be but you can't actually even go there because the competition is that good." Farrell will certainly be hoping that Tadhg Furlong has a successful comeback off the bench tomorrow, having been out of action for the past four weeks. "Well, he's a Lions stalwart, isn't he? He's been there and done that," said the head coach of a tighthead who has been a crucial player on the last two Lions tours. "He spoke up in his first meeting that he was in with the team and said it doesn't matter what anyone has been through, there's no excuses at the weekend. So that's where he's at."
Irish Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
British &Irish Lions v Argentina ticket sales update after criticism of prices
Insiders claim that the British and Irish Lions' first ever game on Irish soil is close to a sell-out three days out from the kick-off at the Aviva Stadium. There has been a lot of criticism - particularly on social media - of the pricing of tickets for the 1888 Cup fixture with Argentina on Friday night, with seats costing up to €190. However that hasn't prevented very healthy ticket sales, with a Lions source informing the Irish Mirror that there only a couple of hundred still available for Andy Farrell's first game as Lions head coach. There will be no caps given out for a game that has not been granted Test status but it is a valuable outing for Farrell to run the rule over the players who have been with the squad since they met up in Dublin last week before spending a few days training in Portugal. There are three Ireland internationals in the line-up - Munster's Tadhg Beirne and Connacht pair Bundee Aki and Finlay Bealham - with three more on the bench, Rónan Kelleher and Tadhg Furlong (Leinster) and Mack Hansen (Connacht). Furlong is available after being sidelined for the last month with a calf injury, while Kelleher is the only one of the 11 Leinster players who were involved in last Saturday's URC final win over the Bulls who has been given the nod for the first of 10 games that the Lions will play, and the only one that takes place outside of Australia.
