'Destined to be great': Ireland snatches former Brumbies star Mack Hansen from Wallabies future

Flanker Fainga'a has joined the Wallabies in Edinburgh to prepare for a clash against Scotland on Sunday morning, putting him a step closer to following in the Test footsteps of brothers Saia and Anthony.

Colby Fainga'a has been playing in Europe since 2018 after kickstarting his career at the Brumbies 11 years ago and the former St Edmund's College student teamed up with Wallabies skipper Michael Hooper in the junior Australian teams.

Fainga'a's call followed Canberra junior Mack Hansen's shock rise into Ireland's Test team just months after leaving the Brumbies and trading his Wallabies dream for Irish luck.

Hansen has been lighting up Irish rugby since linking with the Andy Friend-coached Connacht, scoring four tries in five games and leading the competition in defenders beaten and metres gained.

It prompted Ireland coach Andy Farrell to promote the 23-year-old, whose mother was born in Cork, into the Test squad ahead of a clash against Japan this weekend.

Hansen's Brumbies exit leaves a hole in Canberra and making his debut for Ireland would rule him out of future Wallabies calculations, compounding the Australian eligibility kerfuffle surrounding Quade Cooper, Samu Kerevi and Sean McMahon in recent weeks.

Australian rugby is desperate to hold on to its key players, young and old, and Cooper, Kerevi and McMahon's spring tour withdrawal exacerbated depth issues and the Giteau Law conundrum for overseas-based players.

Ireland has pounced on former junior Wallaby Hansen after his stunning start for Connacht and injured Australian fullback Tom Banks in convinced his former teammate is ready for a giant leap.

"He's a phenomenal player. He was was always destined for great things and you can see that from the tries he's scored already," Banks said.

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"We all knew he was capable of something special, he's such a talented player ... I'm stoked for him, but it's just a shame that it could be for Ireland and not the Wallabies. Ireland's going to benefit from what he started [in Canberra]."

Banks' spring tour hopes were shattered when he broke his arm in September. He has had a plate inserted and he will be on light duties for the bulk of the Brumbies' pre-Christmas training block.

But he's keen to take on a leadership role to help usher in new talent while 10 Brumbies regulars finish the year in Europe with the Wallabies.

The Brumbies have recruited Ollie Sapsford to fill the final contract available on their roster and hope the centre will help ease the pain of losing the likes of Hansen, Solomone Kata and Bayley Kuenzle.

Sapsford scored a hat-trick in his last appearance for Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's provincial competition after moving his career across the Tasman three years ago.

"I've had a pretty different route to the top level but having these next two years to improve and show I belong is something I'm grateful for and I'm now just so keen to get to Canberra," Sapsford said.

Brumbies coach Dan McKellar added: "He's a really good athlete and is really hungry to get his crack at Super Rugby level ... we think with time in our program, he's certainly got the talent to kick on further."

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Banks is confident his injury setback won't delay his World Cup target in the coming years despite the broken arm halting his mission to own the Wallabies' No. 15 jersey.

The 27-year-old was the Wallabies' starting fullback in the past eight Tests before breaking his arm against South Africa.

"It's bittersweet. There's a positive in everything and for me that's getting to do a full pre-season here," Banks said.

"At the same time, it's really tough to watch the Wallabies boys knowing you can't be out there. They've got a fair bit of momentum going into the spring tour.

"What we were doing as a team was building really nicely, it's just unfortunate that the injury happened."