'He wanted a change': The choice that led Mack Hansen from Australia to Ireland

But the burning questions remain following Hansen's man of the match performance on Test debut for Ireland. Could Rugby Australia have done more to keep the Canberra-born flyer on home soil? Why did every Super Rugby club on these shores pass over him?

Brumbies coach Dan McKellar says an offer was made to keep Hansen in Canberra before he flew to his mother's country of birth to join Connacht.

There Hansen has become an instant star, just as he did in the Test arena for Ireland during his Six Nations debut this past weekend.

"He wanted a life experience, a different change. He's a Canberra boy, he's grown up in Canberra, born and bred, wanted to experience something different," McKellar said.

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"That's the beauty of rugby union, isn't it? It's not that he wasn't wanted, we did what we could to try to keep him. He wanted a change and we respected that, thinking we might be able to get him back in a year or two. That's looking unlikely now, but very proud of him.

"Ireland are an incredibly good side. I reckon they're the form side internationally at the moment. He has forced his way into that side and on the back of the weekend, he won't be out of it anytime soon. He's left his comfort zone, taken a risk, and it's worked out for him."

Rhetoric says Hansen is a player pinched from right beneath Rugby Australia's nose.

Hansen managed 14 Super Rugby caps during his time at the Brumbies. He began to emerge as a star on the rise in his final year in Canberra but found himself stuck behind Test starters and Wallabies squad members in the club's back three.

But McKellar concedes rival Super Rugby coaches probably wouldn't have seen what he could given Hansen had limited opportunities before taking a gamble on a move to Ireland.

"He's just one of those players, he flies under the radar a little bit. He's not 6 foot 3 and 110 kilos," McKellar said.

"The first time I saw Mack come to a pre-season training session, you could tell he played a lot of footy in the backyard with his mates, his brother, and his old man. His natural instincts are very good.

"Was it obvious to other coaches, other Super Rugby organisations? Probably not, because he hasn't played a lot of Super Rugby. It's a little bit disappointing that he won't ever play for Australia but certainly proud he has gone over there and made it a real success."

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