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Following their previous underwhelming showing against Japan, the head coach challenged his Ireland squad to step up their performance.

The team listened right away.

The Irish side had faded in the final stages against New Zealand and taken most of the match to find their rhythm versus their Asian opponents.

Nevertheless, facing the Wallabies, they started strongly, with Mack Hansen shining brightest during a 46-19 victory that represented the team's finest display of the season.

In his first test match start at the number 15 position, Hansen scored a hat-trick, contested excellently for high balls and played outstandingly against the country of his birth.

"You know, I've experienced a fairly challenging period with injuries really," the athlete stated.

"I longed for being in this squad, I know there's considerable discussion about me not necessarily being born here and I didn't grow up here, but I adore this team and this feels like home.

"Whenever I have to represent for Ireland it's a privilege, if you fail to deliver a good showing you might not receive that privilege again.

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

Manager stated: 'Good players don't need justifications'

Following twenty-eight appearances on the wing, Hansen was given the full-back position for the first time with several players unavailable.

For him, it was simply a matter of picking up where he left off during the warmer months.

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

Having returned last month, he developed a lower body problem that ruled him out for previous matches.

Farrell had suggested that the player was particularly determined and these turned out to be not hollow words as the ex- club player gave his coach a positive team dilemma for upcoming matches.

"Well my first thoughts were, 'You need to play well in those different coloured boots!'," said Farrell, referring to the player's choice to sport mismatched footwear.

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

"I told to him before the game, 'Excellent players require no justifications, they can perform and just be themselves, you can win the player of the game if you want,' and he responded, 'Yeah, I agree.'

"Therefore he's that type of player, he prepares thoroughly, he's got a excellent approach to get across his detail and thus that's why he slotted right back in and he was able to be himself due to that."

The player's efforts also received commendation from the rival coach, who remarked he was the "standout Australian performer" on the evening.

"In my view he was super, his experience showed to the front," said the former national coach.

"Regrettably, Mack was likely the best Australian player on the field. He's has a excellent ability and he's such a strong competitor."

When asked about what enables Hansen a good option at full-back, the coach added: "Showing up in the middle of the field is a trait that he demonstrates from the wing anyway, but I suppose he's more in place for that more often.

"His high ball play was excellent, don't you think? I thought we persisted of doing the correct approach and that was putting the possession again on them to secure field position.

"The reason that was the correct strategy to do is because it's the players of Mackie who was securing the balls returned, and additional players, so [it's] pretty pleasing."

Beyond the star performer, there were multiple positives for the coach.

Sam Prendergast was excellent on his comeback to the fly-half jersey, the set piece and throw-in functioned smoothly and different player did not appear out of place in his debut start in the forwards.

But perhaps more pleasing for the manager was Ireland bookending the match with two strong spells.

Hansen's first couple of tries occurred in the opening eleven moments while other players registered in the closing exchanges after the opposition had crossed, guaranteeing the Irish side concluded on a high.

"I thought we really let ourselves go and approached the game right from the word go," said the coach.

"How we managed numerous aspects throughout the game, particularly them responding just before the break and regathering ourselves and producing a display like we achieved in the second half, I believed as far as field position and being familiar with most of our game in that later period was really satisfying."

The might of the Springboks are next up for Ireland, in what could be considered as an unofficial conclusion to last year's drawn two-Test series on rival soil.

The coach's team will require to reach another standard to defeat the back-to-back title holders, but Saturday's victory of the Australian team was a important advancement in the correct direction after an disappointing beginning to their fall campaign.