Ireland winger Mack Hansen ‘definitely one that got away’ for Australia
While Joe Schmidt is understandably seen as the man with the inside track, there is another member of the Australian backroom team for this Saturday’s Autumn Nations Series encounter who has in-depth knowledge of some of those within the Ireland camp.
A native of Canberra, Laurie Fisher was appointed as forwards coach of Munster in the summer of 2008 and remained there for a total of three years. Paul O’Connell was a key player during this period, while Peter O’Mahony and Conor Murray were beginning to make significant strides towards the end of Fisher’s spell in the province.
Whereas O’Connell and Fisher will be assistant coaches for their respective nations in the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, O’Mahony and Murray are hoping to be included in Ireland’s match day 23 for the game after making two appearances apiece to date in the November test window. Amongst a select group of players to have represented Ireland on more than 100 occasions, Fisher always had a sense that the Munster duo would go on to become stars of the international arena.
“You always knew that barring injury they were going to play for Ireland. The fact that they’re still doing it 13 or 14 years later is pretty remarkable for both of those gentlemen,” Fisher said.
“They’ve had wonderful careers, but very different players. I’ve followed them closely and enjoyed what they’ve contributed to Irish rugby and world rugby. It has really been remarkable from both those players.”
Another player that Fisher has been keeping a close eye on in more recent times is current Ireland winger Mack Hansen. Before joining Connacht in 2021, Hansen spent three years with Super Rugby outfit the Brumbies – with whom Fisher was working as a forwards coach at the time.
Despite acknowledging that he’s one that got away from an Australian rugby perspective, Fisher is nevertheless pleased to see his fellow Canberra man flourishing so strongly within the Irish system.
“He’s definitely one that got away. We made a good offer to Mack at the Brumbies, but there was no guarantee that he’d start here or play there. We invested a lot of time in Mack as an 18-year-old coming in through the academy system, to developing him to have the capacity then to come here to perform for Connacht and then Ireland.
“Disappointing to lose him, but again you’ve just got to smile when you see people succeed in whatever environment on the world stage. It’s wonderfully rewarding to see a kid who spent four years in our system excel where he’s excelling.
“We would have loved to have kept him, but he had got an opportunity over here and he’s shown what capacity he had. I think he just had the freedom to play and be himself over here and maybe felt there was more of a straitjacket on him at home.
“He’s a free spirit, a wonderfully talented player and given the right environment he’s shown what he’s capable of producing.”
When Fisher signed off on his time in Munster with a victory in the 2011 Magners League Grand Final at Thomond Park, Joe Schmidt was in the opposition corner as head coach of Leinster. Fast forward 13 years and the duo find themselves working together within the Australian set-up.
Although the Wallabies have had some difficult results over the course of the 12 games he’s been in charge for, the vibes surrounding the team since Schmidt officially assumed control of the reins in March of this year have been largely positive.
While his present contract with Rugby Australia only runs up to the end of the British & Irish Lions Tour of the nation in the summer of 2025 – he revealed recently he will make a call next month on whether or not he will extend this deal – Fisher would be more than happy for Schmidt to remain with the Wallabies beyond this point.
“I think it would be great for Australian rugby. He’s a class act and he’s making a huge difference,” Fisher added, “but he’s got other things and he’ll make decisions around whatever’s happening in his life. Whichever way it goes, I wish him all the best.”