Furious Ireland star Mack Hansen turns the air 'f**king' blue over refereeing and TMO's following Leinster-Connacht encounter
"We get that every time...It just needs to be said. It’s really f**king starting to get to us a team."
A furious Mack Hansen launched a lengthy and vitriolic post-Leinster Connacht attack on what he perceived as a lack of respect, bordering on dangerous, shown by match officials week in, week out to Connacht.
The clearly upset winger was angry over two first-half incidents at the Aviva, a Jordie Barrett connection with Bundee Aki's head at a clear out and John Ioane being forced off with head injury following going into contact with the ball.
While even more specifically, Hansen was furious neither incidents were even deemed worthy of a TMO review.
"To be honest, it felt like we were getting reffed out of the game for the first 40 minutes, pretty much," blasted Hansen of a game where his side were 2-6 down on the penalty count after the first 20 minutes.
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"We're not a team for excuses, but that's what I feel. I feel like the first bit we were getting pressured from what seemed like 16 men against us instead of 15 to be honest to you."
"I guess I brought that up because I feel like that happens to us every week to be honest with you and, like, you're saying there's a lot of pressure on us - if you go back two years ago to when we lost the semi-final, I think we lost our first five games in a row.
"Like, as far as it goes, Connacht can win any game we're in and we know that."
Moreover, a fearless Hansen jumped in a second time, interrupting coach Pete Wilkins at another point.
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"Can I say something real quick about the situation. Like, I feel like we get this every week. We never get any calls, ever. I’ve been feeling this for years now.
"Like, you can’t possibly tell yourselves sitting there, like checking the Gus McCarthy one (early in the first-half when the score was still 0-0) how much? How much did they check that, 10, 11 times?
"Bundee gets a direct hit to the head, it’s quite obvious, no call, doesn’t care. It’s like we get that every time so you can hear the frustration in my voice ‘cos it’s starting to get to the point where honestly, it’s bullshit.
"And it’s starting to get really frustrating for us because people will say we are an inconsistent team but, Jesus Christ, when you are getting some of the calls we’re getting like, of course, you are going to be.
"I’m not making excuses by any means but like, when you just get it week after week, I feel it's got to be spoken about because it’s just getting to the point where it’s starting to really piss us off because we just feel we’re getting played out of games and we never ever get any calls."
Hansen also spoke about the incident where Ioane had to be removed from the pitch with a HIA.
"He (referee Chris Busby) didn’t even look back at Bundee's and then Josh goes off with a direct hit to the head again and I was talking to the touchie and he goes, ‘oh, when you tackle you lead with the head’
"That doesn’t make any sense, that’s a penalty regardless. He’s actually said he’s hit him in the head with his head but because he was bent over it was fine or something like that, when he’s smacked him in the back of the head with his head and no call at all, not even a look back.
"We get that every time so...he’ll (pointing to Connacht coach Wilkins) be in a tough situation if he said it. It just needs to be said. It’s really f**king starting to get to us a team."
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Leinster boss Leo Cullen added: "I saw the cleanout but I didn't think there was that much in it to be honest. And that's the game. There's a cleanout and the windows where you can enter are so small.
"I saw the incident and I didn't think there was that much in it."
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