Lions Letter: Canberra has regrets about the ones who got away

The struggle of Mack Hansen's former club Gungahlin Eagles to retain young players in the face of intense competition from better resourced local Aussie rules and rugby league clubs reflects what is happening nationally with rugby union in Australia. 

Mack Hansen received a warm welcome from the hometown crowd when he stepped off the bench for the Lions against his old side the Brumbies on Wednesday. Pic: ©INPHO/Billy Stickland

Mack Hansen went home this week, the British & Irish Lion from Canberra returning to the club where it all started in the suburbs of the Australian capital, the Gungahlin Eagles.

The Connacht and Ireland star has a mother from the East Cork village of Castlemartyr but his rugby roots are with the Eagles and his return with the famous touring team made the 27-year-old front page news in the city’s Canberra Times.