Double blow for struggling Connacht as Mack Hansen and Bundee Aki ruled out of South Africa trip

Connacht's Bundee Aki in action against Racing 92. Pic: ©INPHO/James Crombie.

Connacht’s hopes of rescuing their season have been dealt a huge double blow as Irish internationals Mack Hansen and Bundee Aki have been ruled out of their two-match tour to South Africa.

Both players finished the disastrous Challenge Cup loss to 13-man Racing 92 on Saturday night but the Connacht touring party left Galway without them this Monday morning with Hansen ruled out with an ankle injury and Aki with a heel problem.

It has also been confirmed that out-half Josh Ioane (hand) and Shamus Hurley-Langton (wrist) both suffered fractures in the 43-40 loss to Racing and while their situations won’t be clarified until midweek, it looks like their season could be over.

Connacht hope that Hansen and Aki may be back for their final home game against Edinburgh on May 10 but by then their hopes of making the top half of the URC may be already decided.

They are 13th in the table at the moment, three points off the final qualification place and badly need to pick up points against the Stormers in Cape Town this Saturday and against the Lions in Johannesburg a week later.

Former captain Jack Carty, out of favour this season with just six appearances, has been included in the travelling squad but his long-time half-back partner Caolin Blade doesn’t make the trip with Ben Murphy, Matthew Devine and Colm Reilly the selected scrum-halves.

Experienced loosehead Denis Buckley also missed the tour with a quad injury while Finn Treacy also remains in Galway following the return-to-play protocols following the head injury picked up which led to Racing winger Wame Naituvi getting sent off after just 13 minutes.

The penalty try awarded in the incident pushed Connacht 21-5 clear at that stage and seemingly on their way to a home Challenge Cup semi-final against Lyon, but they lost their way against a dominant Racing pack and bowed out of a competition which looked to be in their grasp to win.

Aside from the financial situation which will arise if they fail to make the Champions Cup next season when they unveil their €40m redevelopment of the Sportsground, Connacht’s coaching structure for next season is up in the air.

Head coach Pete Wilkins, contracted to the end of next season, remains on sick leave with attack coach Mark Sexton and defence coach Scott Fardy set to leave in the summer.

Cullie Tucker, scrum and contact coach who has headed up the management in Wilkins’ absence, is contracted next season along with lineout and maul coach John Muldoon.

Australian Rob Seib is coming on board as a ‘senior assistant coach’ with responsibility for attack.

Connacht squad for games against Stormers and Lions in South Africa

Forwards (16): J Aungier, F Bealham, P Boyle, E de Buitléar, P Dooley, O Dowling, J Duggan, D Heffernan, S Illo, S Jansen, J Joyce, J Murphy, D Murray, C Oliver, C Prendergast, D Tierney-Martin.

Backs (13): S Bolton, J Carty, S Cordero, M Devine, C Forde, H Gavin, David Hawkshaw, S Jennings, C Mullins, B Murphy, S Naughton, P O’Conor, C Reilly.