Connacht winger Mack Hansen is set to face an independent disciplinary panel on Wednesday concerning comments he made in a post-match press conference after their 20-12 URC defeat against Leinster last month.
Following the URC Round 8 game at the Aviva Stadium on December 19th, Hansen aired his frustrations over the way Connacht are refereed, claiming the western province are consistently on the wrong side of match officials’ decisions.
Speaking at the post-match press conference alongside Connacht head coach Peter Wilkins, Hansen highlighted an incident during the game in which Bundee Aki suffered a hit to the head but which was not checked by officials.
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“I feel like we get this every week. We never get any calls, ever. I’ve been feeling this for years now,” the 26-year-old said.
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“Bundee gets a direct hit to the head, it’s quite obvious, no call. It’s like we get that every time, so you can hear the frustration in my voice because 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 [frustrated].”
The disciplinary panel will consider whether Hansen’s comments fell within the bounds of misconduct under the URC’s disciplinary rules.
As the matter does not relate to an on-field incident, there was no requirement for the disciplinary panel to be convened before Connacht’s following fixture, which was their Round 9 home defeat to Ulster on December 28th.
Connacht next host Lyon at the Dexcom Stadium on Saturday night in the European Challenge Cup while the following week travel to Cardiff in their final pool fixture.
They then head for Glasgow as the URC resumes in a fortnight, all three matches take place before Ireland’s opening fixture in the Six Nations against England at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, February 1st.
Last season, Cardiff head coach Matt Sherratt received a one-match ban as a result of a disciplinary sanction related to an interaction between him and referee Scotland’s Mike Adamson following a league game between Ulster and the Welsh club.
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