Pressure-free Wales bid to end their losing streak
While the unbeaten Irish are just two wins away from their first Grand Slam for 54 years, two more Welsh defeats for Welsh would mean a championship whitewash.
The bookmakers give Wales little hope of bursting Ireland's bubble, and history suggests they are right.
Not since 1983, when Eddie Butler was Wales captain, have Ireland been denied victory in Cardiff.
"Pressure is something that you put on yourself," Hansen said. "There shouldn't be any pressure on us to win here in this game, because it hasn't happened for 20 years.
"The key for us is to do the little things well, concentrate in minutes rather than hours, and do the things right here, right now, as well as we can."
While Hansen marshalled his team's final Millennium Stadium work-out todayyesterday, meetings were taking place just yards away that could safeguard Welsh rugby's future at professional level.
Wales' top clubs and Welsh Rugby Union group chief executive David Moffett held further discussions about a blueprint for the professional game after months of political debate and squabbling.
"We've got no control over the meetings we have got to concentrate on what we can control, which is our performance tomorrow," Hansen added.
"But if we get that (the structure) right, then we have got a shout of getting it right out on the pitch."
Hansen has no doubt about the quality of an Ireland team, buoyant following victories against Scotland, Italy and France.
"Ireland are very, very good," he said. "Their great strength is that they are a team they play for each other.
"And then, of course, they've got Brian O'Driscoll, who is a super player. Because he is so good, he drags other people up to his level.
"Ireland have gone through some hard times together they've played a lot of Test matches together now and they have grown as a group because of that.
"They still remember the hard times, I'm sure, and that is what inspires them to perform the way they are at the moment.
The Irish management were in good spirits as they conducted their final press conference in the bowels of this enormous stadium with coach Eddie O'Sullivan coming up with a nice line to dispel any suggestions of looking beyond this afternoon and ahead to Lansdowne Road and England on tomorrow week: "If you look beyond the next hurdle, you usually catch your toe going over."
Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll also warned his Grand Slam-chasing team to beware a wounded animal at the Millennium Stadium.
O'Driscoll explained: "The biggest danger facing us is the face that Wales haven't won yet in this competition.
"They are a wounded animal, and we must be wary of that. They have also got home advantage, so they could really hit it off tomorrow.
Like his skipper though, O'Sullivan is taking nothing for granted as thousands of travelling Irish fans begin descending on the Welsh capital.
"If you look back to Wales' last home fixture against England, it was probably their best performance of the season," O'Sullivan said.
"They were a bit unlucky maybe not to create a big upset that day, and they will believe that a win tomorrow would turn this championship around for them.
"I don't think that Wales are getting a lot of credit at the moment. ," he added. They've scored some fantastic tries in this championship, and their counter-attack game, I believe, is the best in the tournament.
"They have great confidence on the ball as individuals, and they run great lines, which makes it a very difficult game to play against if they get the platform.
"Tomorrow is a big day for them, and I don't think they will leave anything in the locker room, come kick-off time."
On fixture congestion, O'Sullivan added: "We jam a Six Nations into the middle of a domestic season. You have the European Cup, Celtic League and Zurich Premiership before and after it.
"The players are the ones who go into battle every week, and I don't know any of them who are saying it is working out really well. They are all saying that a little bit more time between games would be a big help for everyone."
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