Ireland boosted by returning Lion to offer options in threadbare area

Ireland pair Mack Hansen and Stuart McCloskey are on track to feature in Saturday’s showdown with Australia after taking part in full training.

Connacht wing Hansen was added to Andy Farrell’s autumn squad on Monday, having initially been left out following a foot injury.

Ulster centre McCloskey sat out Saturday’s 41-10 victory over Japan in Dublin after sustaining a groin problem a week earlier in the 26-13 defeat to New Zealand in Chicago.

Leinster centre Garry Ringrose and flanker Josh van der Flier are nursing hamstring issues and took part in limited training on Tuesday.

Full-back Jamie Osborne was on Monday ruled out for the remainder of the autumn series, which Ireland conclude at home to world champions South Africa on November 22, due to a shoulder injury.

Fixture

Internationals

Ireland

46 - 19

Full-time

Australia

All Stats and Data

Australia-born Hansen has never started in the number 15 jersey at Test level but his past four appearances for Connacht have been in that position.

In addition to the loss of Osborne, head coach Farrell is already without regular full-back Hugo Keenan because of injury.

According to RTE Sport, Ireland assistant coach Andrew Goodman told reporters: “First of all it was great to have Mack back amongst the squad, he’s always a great man to bring the energy up.

“He took a full part in training today and was running around well, Stu, the same.

“And then Josh and Ringer (Ringrose) are going through their process, return to play so they took part in parts of training today. They are all pushing for the weekend.”

Australia, who are coached by former Leinster and Ireland boss Joe Schmidt, will run out at the Aviva Stadium on the back of a shock 26-19 loss to Italy.

The fixture is the latest instalment of Farrell versus Schmidt after the pair went head to head three times during this summer’s British and Irish Lions tour following Ireland’s 22-19 victory over the Wallabies last November.

Goodman said Schmidt’s familiarity with Ireland will not significantly impact the hosts’ approach to the match.

“We just know that they’ll have a great plan coming into the weekend,” he said.

“We know he has a great mind, this will be a big game for Joe coming back to Dublin, it always is.

“It was a competitive, tough affair last year and we expect no different this year.

“As a coaching group we’ve all had experience with Joe, we’ve all got huge amounts of respect for him, and we know that the team, especially what happened in Italy and the disappointment there, they’ll be coming with a point to prove.”