Mack Hansen has revealed he has Andy Farrell’s seal of approval for the tattoo of Ireland’s head coach that he had inked onto his thigh.
Connacht wing Hansen stuck to his off-the-cuff promise to have Farrell’s face tattooed onto his body if Ireland won the Six Nations Grand Slam, and now proudly sports his Test boss’ visage on his quad.
Fly-half Johnny Sexton refused to let Hansen forget his light-hearted pledge – and now Hansen has explained how even Farrell, the subject of the tribute himself, quickly jumped on board with the banter.
Farrell has mastered mixing his taskmaster head coach duties with a relaxed edge to draw the best out of the world’s number one ranked Test team.
And Hansen explained his relief at Farrell embracing the funny side of the quirky body art homage.
Just spoke with Mack Hansen. He has done the deed. A tattoo of Andy Farrell.
— Jim Hamilton (@jimhamilton4) June 1, 2023
I asked him for proof. I’m am now sharing that proof. pic.twitter.com/FY3W6uFu3s
“Johnny Sexton seemed to remember about the tattoo the whole way through the Six Nations and kind of reminded me towards the end,” Hansen told Standard Sport.
“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.
“When Andy found out about it, he said I wouldn’t be allowed back into camp if I didn’t have it done.
“He liked the whole idea of it, thank the Lord! And the tattoo’s definitely here to stay. I might add some teardrops to it or something like that, to make it look a bit meaner!”
Australia Under-20s cap Hansen pitched up at Connacht in 2021 looking for a life experience after breaking through with the Brumbies in his native Canberra.
The scrum-capped wing qualifies for Ireland through his Cork-born mother but did not head out to Galway with Test selection at the top of his agenda.
With six tries in 14 Tests since his 2022 debut though, Hansen has cemented his place in Ireland’s senior ranks and helped Farrell’s men sweep the board in this year’s Six Nations.
Now Ireland will head to September’s World Cup in France arguably better prepared than ever, in terms of quality, depth and versatility.
Farrell’s reaction to Hansen’s tattoo encapsulates his focused but fun approach that offers a lighter touch than his predecessor Joe Schmidt’s ultra-intense stewardship.
Former dual-code international Farrell has managed to build on Schmidt’s transformative era of dominance in fine style, leaving Hansen to heap praise on the ex-England assistant.
“When it’s time to go to work, everyone’s giving everything they have,” said Hansen, speaking as a Canterbury ambassador.
“But when it’s time to switch off, it’s being able to enjoy that time off, whether that be with family, friends, or just in camp with ourselves.
“He’s made the Ireland camp a really comfortable place, just to be yourself, all the staff and players have, and to enjoy the camp, not dread it.
“He’s just kind of nailed it. I think it helps he’s very sure of himself and everything he’s been through, and he’s just the type of guy that when he talks, you listen.
“It’s not an easy way to be I don’t think, especially nowadays. But whatever he’s doing, he’s doing it right, so fair play to him.”
