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Following their previous underwhelming showing against the Japanese team, the head coach challenged his Irish team to step up their performance.

Ireland responded immediately.

Ireland had faded in the final stages against the All Blacks and required most of the match to get going versus Japan.

Nevertheless, facing Australia, they began strongly, with Mack Hansen excelling brightest during a 46-19 triumph that marked Ireland's best display this year.

In his debut test match appearance at the number 15 position, Hansen registered a hat-trick, competed brilliantly for high balls and played outstandingly against the nation of his birth.

"You know, I've had a pretty challenging run with injuries really," the athlete stated.

"I longed for being in this squad, I know there's considerable talk about me not exactly being raised here and I didn't grow up here, but I love this group and this feels like home.

"Any time I get to represent for Ireland it's a honor, if you fail to deliver a performance you may not get that privilege again.

"My whole focus this period was to go out and perform what I could do."

Manager declared: 'Good athletes require no justifications'

After twenty-eight appearances on the wing, Hansen was given the full-back role for the initial time with several players injured.

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

The 28-year-old had been in superb form before injury ended his aspiration of making the international squad.

After returned recently, he suffered a lower body injury that made him unavailable for previous fixtures.

Farrell had suggested that Hansen was especially motivated and these proved not empty words as the former club player gave his coach a welcome team dilemma for upcoming matches.

"So my first reaction were, 'You better perform well in those two colored shoes!'," commented the coach, alluding to Hansen's choice to wear different footwear.

"In fact I thought that was appropriate but it seems Mack just made that personally anyway. So he's drawn attention to himself before he's even begun.

"I said to him before the game, 'Good athletes require no excuses, they can get on with it and just be themselves, you can win the player of the game if you want,' and he responded, 'Yes, I concur.'

"So he's that type of player, he prepares well, he's has a great approach to understand his detail and so that's why he slotted straight back in and he was able to be himself because of that."

The player's performance also received commendation from the rival manager, who stated he was the "exceptional opposition player" on the night.

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

"Regrettably, Mack was probably the best opposition player on the field. He's has a great skillset and he's such a strong competitor."

When asked about what enables Hansen a good fit at the number 15 position, the coach added: "Showing up in the center of the pitch is something that he demonstrates from the wing anyway, but I imagine he's better in place for that more often.

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

"Why that was the right strategy to do is since it's the players of Mackie who was securing the balls back, and other players, so [it's] pretty satisfying."

Outside Hansen, there were multiple positives for the coach.

Another player was outstanding on his return to the fly-half jersey, the scrum and line-out functioned smoothly and different player did not look out of place in his debut start in the front row.

But possibly more satisfying for the manager was Ireland framing the game with two impressive periods.

Hansen's initial two scores occurred in the opening 11 moments while other teammates registered in the final stages after the opposition had scored, guaranteeing the Irish side finished on a high.

"I thought we truly performed freely and attacked the game straight from the word go," said Farrell.

"How we managed various elements throughout the match, especially them responding just before half-time and regathering ourselves and giving a display like we achieved in the second half, I thought as far as territory 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 viewed as an informal conclusion to last year's tied multiple match series on opposition territory.

The coach's team will require to reach another level to defeat the back-to-back world champions, but the recent victory of the Wallabies was a important advancement in the correct direction after an disappointing beginning to their autumn campaign.