The Daily Star Ireland
Connacht head coach Pete Wilkins has stated that the province is still awaiting clarity on whether Mack Hansen will face any disciplinary action for his remarks about the officiating during their 20-12 loss to Leinster. Following the game, Hansen expressed frustration with the consistency of officiating this season, referring to it as “bull***t” and noting that he and his teammates felt they were consistently overlooked in terms of decisions.
While Wilkins has been more cautious in publicly commenting on the refereeing, he has supported Hansen’s right to voice the players’ frustrations. However, given the nature of Hansen’s comments, it’s expected that he and Connacht could be addressed by the league, though Wilkins confirmed that no official communication about potential sanctions had been received as of Monday morning.
The coach did reveal that he has been in contact with the URC’s refereeing chief, Tappe Henning, to discuss both the incidents from the Leinster match and Hansen’s comments about referee Chris Busby. Wilkins emphasized the importance of having open communication channels with Henning, noting that they had constructive discussions about both the game and Hansen’s remarks.
Wilkins also pointed out that Hansen’s comments should be understood in the context of the emotional intensity felt by players in the heat of the game, rather than a specific criticism of referee Busby. He praised Hansen for his honesty and heart, noting that this authenticity is something Connacht values in the player.
On the injury front, Connacht is likely to be without Josh Ioane for this Saturday’s derby against Ulster after he suffered a concussion in the game against Leinster. However, there is positive news regarding JJ Hanrahan, who is progressing well in his recovery from an ACL injury. Hanrahan is set to rejoin full training this week, and although he won’t be available for selection immediately, he is expected to be back in action by mid to late January.
