Return of the Mack brings extra edge to Lions trip to Canberra

SYDNEY :Mack Hansen rolled into Canberra with the British & Irish Lions on Monday but it was far from a trip into the unknown for the Ireland winger, who will play for the tourists off the bench against the ACT Brumbies on Wednesday.

The 27-year-old was born, raised and schooled in the Australian capital and played four seasons at the Brumbies before upping sticks and trying his luck in Ireland, the birthplace of his mother.

Hansen's rise over the last four years has been little short of meteoric with 12 tries in 28 tests for Ireland, a trip to the World Cup in 2023, and now his selection to the Lions squad taking him back to his hometown.

"It's incredible," Hansen told reporters in Canberra on Monday.

"It's a bit of a pinch-me moment, not in my wild dreams could I imagine I'd be back here playing for the Lions. So it's very special."

Hansen said about 30 friends and family members would be in the crowd at Canberra Stadium on Wednesday, just as he was as a teenager when the Brumbies beat the Lions 14-12 on the 2013 tour.

There will be two old friends on the pitch as well in the shape of the Lonergan brothers, Brumbies scrumhalf Ryan and hooker Lachlan.

"I grew up playing against them my whole life, so it'll be nice," Hansen said.

"They're two of my best mates, especially, and I haven't played against them in a while. So that'll be a nice little switch up."

Ryan Lonergan, who will captain the Brumbies on Wednesday, was also be looking forward to catching up with a friend he has not seen since his departure for Ireland.

"He was just chasing opportunity, really. We had pretty set sort of back three here at the time," he told reporters on Tuesday.

"He just sort of took a stab and went overseas and we're all happy for him. As a good friend you sort of want to see him go and make the most of his opportunity and he's done that.

"Still been a character like I know he is. So, super happy for him and excited to see him."

Hansen has already played against the Wallabies for Ireland and no longer feels he has anything to prove on the rugby side to the country that let him get away.

He is unsure, however, how he will feel running out against the Brumbies.

"It's going to be interesting," he said. "I think ... it won't be till afterwards, I'll be able to sort of take it all in."