Mack Hansen reveals that the prospect of playing for Ireland pushed him to join Connacht ahead of other suitors.
But the 23-year-old from Canberra confides his rapid rise since his summer move from the Brumbies to make Andy Farrell's squad - for the November series and now for the Six Nations - has been "surreal".
The wing wizard - he says his mazy footwork comes from a childhood playing soccer - qualifies for Ireland through his mother, Diana O'Shea, who left Castlemartyr in Cork for Australia with her family when she was seven.
Covid restrictions have prevented Hansen from meeting most of his Irish family. But he knows his rapid progress has made even his mum sit up and take notice.
"My family were absolutely stoked for me," he said. "Mum is fully Irish, so you can tell that she's a little bit more excited.
"She probably doesn't want to admit it, but I think she has taken to footie a little bit more knowing that I'm playing for her home country.
“Same with my dad, he doesn't mind where I'm playing as long as I'm enjoying myself, which I really am.
“I've met a couple of my cousins but there are still plenty of them to catch up with because, as you know, Irish families are huge. It could take me a fair while to meet them all!”
Hansen started the season like a rocket and topped the URC try-scoring charts but his Champions Cup debut was put on hold until last weekend due to injury.
His Ireland call-up came ahead of schedule, even if the prospect of it happening made his mind up to join Connacht.
“I’m still lost for words sometimes when I realise I’m here and able to hang out with some of the best players in the world," Hansen said. "It’s just unreal.
"I had offers to go other places but I knew I wanted to come here to chance my hand and have an opportunity to play international football.
“It was something that was always in the back of my head, I won't lie to you.
“To think it would come on real quick...I was just focused on playing well for Connacht and if I could do that then the rest would take care of itself.
“It would be unbelievable to get capped. It would just be surreal to hit the peak of rugby, where I honestly didn't really think I would ever get to.
“I've been asked, would it feel different putting on the Wallaby shirt - I don't think it would make any difference.
“It has been something I've always wanted to do. Just because I didn't grow up here in Ireland, doesn't mean I don't find this place home.
“I've taken to this place as much as I can and they've given back to me the same. It would be such a special moment.
“Being here now, I want to put my name forward and hopefully get that cap.
"If it doesn’t come to that, all I can do is keep playing my rugby and hopefully get another opportunity. Now that I'm here for the ride, I’ll definitely be striving to get that cap.
"Everyone’s got their own strengths to bring into this squad and that was pretty much the main thing, I think everyone’s been told to just play their game and when we do that I think it will be a really dangerous team come the Six Nations.
"I guess the thing is we’re striving for perfection in everything we do.
"I thought we had a pretty good training session but some of the lads were pretty upset with the way we trained because of a couple of dropped balls and things like that.
"That little step we’re looking for, we want to be perfection on the field and make it real hard for teams to stay with us."
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