Mack Hansen hit with major blow to World Cup hopes as the Ireland wing is out for Connacht’s clash with Leinster

MACK HANSEN'S hopes of getting game-time to convince Andy Farrell he is ready to face South Africa in July has vanished.

The Ireland wing's ongoing shoulder injury has ruled him out of Connacht’s final game of the season against Leinster on Friday.

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Hansen, 26, won the last of his 21 caps in the World Cup quarter-final defeat by New Zealand last October and has been sidelined since picking up the injury against Munster on January 1.

The Canberra native has only featured four times for Connacht this season.

And while there were hopes he might return last month, his recovery has dragged on and now he has been ruled out of Friday’s clash at the RDS.

Connacht head coach Pete Wilkins said: “It’s a week-to-week prospect but he’s not back to the stage where he can be doing his full return to contact work yet, to test out the shoulder. I don’t expect him to be available for Leinster.”

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Wilkins added: “There’s nothing to suggest he wouldn’t make it back for the play-offs or the summer tour.

“But the experience of the last month or so means we won’t take anything for granted.”

Wilkins is unsure Hansen can make the cut for the tour against the world champs.

He added: “I don’t really have a hard timeline for him.

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“It’s been very much open-ended for the last six weeks, which has been frustrating but it’s just where he finds himself at with the injury.”

The Sharks’ Challenge Cup win over Gloucester last Friday means Connacht cannot qualify for next season’s Champions Cup.

Only the top seven URC teams make the grade as the Durban side must be included after their win.

Connacht have an outside chance of making the URC quarter-finals but need a bonus-point win on Friday night and must hope other results go their way.

Wilkins added: “The mentality is positive and it is last-chance saloon.”

Scrum-half Matthew Devine is out of the trip to Dublin but versatile back Shane Jennings and loosehead Denis Buckley are available.