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After last week's underwhelming performance against Japan, the head coach challenged his Ireland squad to improve their game.

Ireland listened right away.

The Irish side had faded late against New Zealand and taken considerable time to find their rhythm versus Japan.

Nevertheless, against Australia, they began powerfully, with the talented back excelling most prominently during a comprehensive victory that marked Ireland's finest performance this year.

In his first international start at full-back, Hansen scored a hat-trick, contested brilliantly for high balls and played exceptionally against the country of his birth.

"Look, I've had a fairly difficult period with injuries really," the athlete commented.

"I missed being in this team, I know there's considerable discussion about me not necessarily being raised here and I wasn't raised here, but I love this team and this feels like family.

"Any time I get to play for the national team it's a honor, if you don't put in a good showing you may not get that privilege again.

"My entire approach this week was to go out and perform what I can do."

Manager stated: 'Excellent players require no excuses'

Following 28 appearances on the flank, Hansen was entrusted the full-back role for the first time with several teammates injured.

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

The experienced player had been in superb condition before injury ended his aspiration of making the international team.

Having come back recently, he developed a lower body injury that ruled him out for previous matches.

The coach had suggested that the player was particularly motivated and these turned out to be not empty statements as the former provincial player gave his manager a welcome team headache for future games.

"So my initial thoughts were, 'You better play excellently in those two colored shoes!'," said Farrell, alluding to Hansen's decision to wear different boots.

"In fact I thought that was fitting but it seems Hansen just did that personally anyway. So he's attracted attention to himself before he's even started.

"I said to him before the game, 'Good players don't need excuses, they can perform and just be themselves, you can win the player of the game if you choose,' and he responded, 'Yeah, I agree.'

"Therefore he's that type of player, he trains thoroughly, he's got a excellent attitude to understand his preparation and so that's why he fitted straight into the team and he was able to perform naturally due to that."

The player's efforts also received praise from the opposing manager, who remarked he was the "standout opposition performer" on the evening.

"I thought he was outstanding, his knowledge showed to the front," commented the ex- national coach.

"Regrettably, Mack was probably the standout Australian player on the pitch. He's has a great ability and he's such a strong competitor."

When asked about what enables the player a strong option at full-back, Farrell added: "Showing up in the center of the field is something that he demonstrates from the flank regardless, but I imagine he's more in position for that more often.

"The player's high ball play was excellent, don't you think? I thought we persisted of doing the correct thing and that was putting the possession back on them to secure territory.

"Why that was the right strategy to do is because it's the players of Mackie who was securing the possessions back, and additional teammates, so [it's] pretty pleasing."

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

Sam Prendergast was excellent on his comeback to the fly-half jersey, the scrum and throw-in operated effectively and different teammate did not appear uncomfortable in his debut start in the forwards.

But perhaps most satisfying for the manager was the team framing the game with two impressive periods.

Hansen's first two scores came in the first 11 moments while other teammates registered in the closing stages after the other team had scored, guaranteeing the Irish team concluded on a positive note.

"In my opinion we really let ourselves go and attacked the game straight from the beginning," stated Farrell.

"How we handled various aspects during the match, especially them responding just before half-time and regathering ourselves and producing a display like we achieved in the second half, I believed as far as field position and being across most of our strategy in that later period was really satisfying."

The might of the Springboks are next up for Ireland, in what might be considered as an unofficial decider to last year's tied two-Test contest on opposition soil.

The coach's team will require to attain another level to defeat the consecutive title holders, but Saturday's victory of the Wallabies was a significant advancement in the right path after an disappointing beginning to their autumn campaign.