Ireland star interrupts press conference to blast officiating in Leinster match

Ireland star Mack Hansen branded the refereeing calls as "bull***" in his post-match press conference after Connacht lost to Leinster.

There were just five points separating the teams in the 79th minute as Ross Byrne pinged over a penalty to quash any hopes of the Galway province beating their Dublin rivals at the Aviva Stadium.

Like in any other tight match, decisions can prove crucial to the final result, and Connacht winger Hansen feels as though his team were left short-changed by the officials on Saturday, December 21.

Head coach Pete Wilkins was asked about the officiating decisions, before Hansen interjected.

"Can I say something real quick about the situation?" asked Hansen, as Wilkins allowed him to talk. "Like, I feel like we get this every week. We never get any calls, ever. I’ve been feeling this for years now. Like, you can’t possibly tell me, yourselves sitting there, like checking the Gus McCarthy one, how much? How much did they check that? 10, 11 times?"

In the 13th minute, with the score 0-0, McCarthy took an accidental head contact with Connacht fly-half Josh Ioane and required treatment. The commentary team on Premier Sports branded it as accidental and not malicious. From the point the tackle was made, it took officials over three minutes to decide whether it would be a card. It was a penalty against Connacht and no card.

"Bundee (Aki) gets a direct hit to the head, it’s quite obvious, no call, doesn’t care," continued Hansen.

"It’s like we get that every time so you can hear the frustration in my voice 'cause it’s starting to get to the point where honestly, it’s bulls*** and it’s starting to get really frustrating for us 'cause people will say we are an inconsistent team but, Jesus Christ, when you are getting some of the calls we’re getting like, of course, you are going to be."

Watch below, as footage appears to show Jordie Barrett making head contact at the ruck. The medical team rushed on to the field to give Aki treatment and the TMO didn't look at it, despite the commentary team saying "they're going to have to look at that".

"I’m not making excuses by any means," continued Hansen. "But when you just get it week after week, I feel it's got to be spoken about because it’s just getting to the point where it’s starting to really p*** us off because we just feel we’re getting played out of games and we never ever get any calls.

"He didn’t even look back at it and then Josh (Ioane) goes off with a direct hit to the head again and I was talking to the touchie and he goes, ‘oh, when you tackle you lead with the head’. That doesn’t make any sense, that’s a penalty regardless."

After 30 minutes, Leinster centre Charlie Tector clashed heads with Josh Ioane upon contact, with Ioane being forced to leave the field. Although in fairness to Tector, Ioane did smash his head on the ground afterwards due to the way he fell.

"He’s actually said he’s hit him in the head with his head but because he was bent over it was fine or something like that," added Hansen. "When he’s smacked him in the back of the head with his head and no call at all, not even a look back.

"We get that every time. It just needs to be said. It’s really f****** starting to get to us a team."

The result leaves Connacht 10th in the United Rugby Championship, level on points with Scarlets. They are however rock bottom of the Irish Shield, with just four points against their rivals.