Hansen a big doubt for first Lions Test due to foot injury

Murray Kinsella Reports from Brisbane

IRELAND WING MACK Hansen has emerged as a big doubt for the Lions’ first Test against the Wallabies on Saturday in Brisbane.

The Connacht man sat out training today after suffering a foot injury during last Saturday’s win over the AUNZ XV in Adelaide.

It’s a big blow for Hansen, whose excellent form meant he was competing with England’s Tommy Freeman for a start in the Lions’ number 14 shirt this weekend. 

While Lions assistant coach John Dalziel yesterday denied that Hansen had an injury, the early arrival of Scotland right wing Darcy Graham into Lions camp raised eyebrows.

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And now the tourists have confirmed Hansen’s injury.

“He hurt his foot just in the [AUNZ XV] game, so I don’t think it’s anything serious but he was managed today, but hopefully he will be integrated pretty quickly,” said Lions assistant coach Richard Wigglesworth today in Brisbane.

“It’s nothing that we’re overly concerned about, but we needed to make sure we had enough numbers at training and everything. But it doesn’t look too serious.”

The Lions insist that Hansen has not yet been ruled out of the first Test, even while admitting he is a doubt.

“We’ll find out tomorrow,” said Wigglesworth. “He didn’t train fully today, but we’ll find out a bit more tomorrow.

“If they get on the field tomorrow, then they’re right in contention. We’ve not finalised everything yet. A doubt is anyone who didn’t train fully today but he’s definitely not ruled out.”

Wigglesworth was asked if Hansen’s injury was the reason that Graham arrived in Australia yesterday, with his Scotland team-mates Rory Sutherland and Ewan Ashman only set to join the tourists on Sunday after playing for their country against Samoa.

“Potentially, we needed to make sure we’re covered numbers-wise and for the games coming up, so that was probably a bit quicker because of Blair Kinghorn and Mack not being on feet today and potentially tomorrow.”

Wigglesworth said that the Lions have still not ruled Kinghorn, who is carrying a knee injury, out of first Test involvement.

“We’ll have to see tomorrow what he looks like, he hasn’t trained fully with the squad but he has been on his feet, so we will know a bit more in the 24 hours whether we can get him on the field.”