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After last week's disappointing showing against the Japanese team, the head coach challenged his Ireland team to step up their performance.

The team responded right away.

The Irish side had struggled in the final stages against New Zealand and taken most of the match to get going versus Japan.

However, facing Australia, they started powerfully, with Mack Hansen shining most prominently during a comprehensive triumph that marked the team's finest performance of the season.

Making his first test match start at the number 15 position, the player registered a three tries, competed brilliantly for high balls and performed exceptionally against the nation of his origin.

"Look, I've experienced a pretty difficult run with injuries really," Hansen stated.

"I longed for being in this team, I know there's much discussion about me not necessarily being born here and I wasn't raised here, but I love this group and this feels like home.

"Any time I get to play for the national team it's a honor, if you fail to deliver a good showing you might not get that privilege again.

"My entire approach this period was to take the field and perform what I could do."

Manager declared: 'Excellent athletes don't need excuses'

After twenty-eight caps on the wing, Hansen was entrusted the full-back position for the first time with several teammates injured.

In his case, it was simply a matter of continuing where he finished during the summer.

The 28-year-old had been in excellent form before injury disrupted his dream of joining the Test team.

Having come back recently, he developed a foot problem that made him unavailable for previous fixtures.

The coach had suggested that Hansen was especially motivated and these proved not hollow words as the ex- club player gave his manager a welcome selection dilemma for future matches.

"So my initial thoughts were, 'You better perform well in those two coloured shoes!'," commented the coach, alluding to the player's decision to sport different footwear.

"In fact I thought that was appropriate but apparently Hansen just did that himself regardless. So he's drawn attention to himself before he's even begun.

"I said to him before the match, 'Good players require no justifications, they can get on with it and just play naturally, you can win the man of the match if you want,' and he went, 'Yes, I agree.'

"So he's that type of performer, he trains well, he's got a great approach to understand his preparation and thus that's why he slotted right back in and he was able to be himself because of that."

The player's performance also received praise from the opposing coach, who remarked he was the "exceptional opposition player" on the evening.

"I thought he was super, his experience was evident to the fore," commented the former national manager.

"Unfortunately, Hansen was likely the standout opposition performer on the field. He's got a excellent ability and he's such a strong competitor."

When asked about what makes the player a strong fit at the number 15 position, Farrell continued: "Appearing in the middle of the pitch is something that he does from the flank regardless, but I imagine he's more in position for that frequently.

"The player's high ball work was excellent, wasn't it? I believed we didn't get bored of executing the right approach and that was putting the possession back on them to secure field position.

"Why that was the correct strategy to do is because it's the players of Mackie who was getting the possessions returned, and other players, so [it's] pretty satisfying."

Outside the star performer, there were multiple encouraging aspects for the coach.

Another player was outstanding on his comeback to the number 10 jersey, the set piece and line-out functioned effectively and another teammate did not look uncomfortable in his first appearance in the front row.

But perhaps most pleasing for Farrell was the team bookending the match with multiple impressive periods.

Hansen's first couple of tries occurred in the first 11 moments while other players registered in the closing stages after the opposition had crossed, guaranteeing the home team finished on a positive note.

"In my opinion we truly performed freely and attacked the match straight from the word go," stated the coach.

"The way we managed various elements throughout the match, especially the opposition responding just before half-time and reorganizing ourselves and giving a display like we achieved in the later stages, I believed as far as field position and being familiar with most of our strategy in that later period was really satisfying."

The strength of South Africa are next up for the team, in what could be considered as an unofficial decider to the previous season's tied multiple match contest on rival territory.

The coach's team will need to reach another level to defeat the consecutive title holders, but the recent victory of the Wallabies was a important advancement in the right direction after an uninspiring beginning to their autumn campaign.