Close to Macking a return
MACK HANSEN can give Connacht a huge boost as they bid to nail a URC knockout spot with head coach Pete Wilkins confirming the Irish winger is almost ready for action.
Wilkins believes there’s an outside chance he might be ready for Saturday’s trip to Dragons but is more likely to be kept in reserve until Connacht travel to Thomond Park to face Munster the following week.
“Yeah, that’s what we are looking at, at the moment,” said Wilkins. “There was a sort of best case scenario where he could have been available for Dragons. I think the unknown bit is working through that return to contact.
“He’s doing all the running elements, and all the team elements at training in a non-contact bit but it is the landing on the ground, it’s the breakdown work, the tackle and it’s making sure it’s not just that medically he is good to go but that in his own mind as well that he doesn’t feel compromised or suffer any loss in technique through that. “He’s working really well through that and I’d hope he’d be available for Munster.”
Team captain Jack Carty will not be risked either this weekend for a game Connacht need to win at Rodney Parade as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury which has sidelined him for the past two games.
Wilkins added: “It’s not severe at all but it is just making sure we get him perfectly right before risking it. We don’t want to turn a two or three week injury into a five or six week injury,” added Wilkins.
JJ Hanrahan has fully recovered from a late knock in the impressive 54-16 win over Zebre and will continue at out-half.