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After last week's underwhelming performance against Japan, Andy Farrell challenged his Irish team to step up their performance.

Ireland listened right away.

The Irish side had struggled late against New Zealand and taken most of the match to get going versus their Asian opponents.

Nevertheless, facing Australia, they started powerfully, with the talented back excelling most prominently during a 46-19 victory that represented the team's finest performance of the season.

Making his debut international appearance at full-back, Hansen registered a hat-trick, contested excellently for high balls and performed exceptionally against the nation of his origin.

"You know, I've experienced a fairly difficult run with fitness issues honestly," the athlete commented.

"I missed being in this squad, I understand there's considerable talk about me not exactly being born here and I wasn't raised here, but I love this group and this seems like family.

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

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

Manager declared: 'Excellent players require no justifications'

After twenty-eight caps on the wing, the player was given the full-back role for the first time with several teammates unavailable.

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

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

After come back recently, he developed a foot injury that ruled him out for previous fixtures.

The coach had suggested that the player was especially determined and these proved not empty words as the ex- provincial player gave his manager a positive selection dilemma for upcoming games.

"Well my first thoughts were, 'You need to play well in those different coloured shoes!'," said the coach, alluding to Hansen's choice to sport different boots.

"In fact I thought that was fitting but apparently Hansen just did that personally regardless. So he's attracted notice to himself before he's even started.

"I said to him before the game, 'Excellent players require no excuses, they can perform and just be themselves, you can get the player of the game if you choose,' and he responded, 'Yes, I concur.'

"So he's that kind of performer, he trains well, he's has a great attitude to get across his preparation and so that's why he slotted straight back in and he was able to be himself because of that."

Hansen's performance also earned praise from the opposing coach, who remarked he was the "standout Australian player" on the evening.

"In my view he was outstanding, his knowledge was evident to the front," said the former national coach.

"Unfortunately, Mack was probably the best opposition performer on the field. He's got a excellent ability and he's such a good contender."

Pressed about what enables Hansen a good fit at the number 15 position, Farrell continued: "Appearing in the middle of the field is something that he does from the flank regardless, but I imagine he's more in place for that frequently.

"The player's aerial work was excellent, don't you think? I thought we persisted of executing the correct approach and that was putting the possession again on them to secure territory.

"Why that was the right thing to do is since it's the players of Hansen who was securing the balls back, and additional teammates, so [it's] pretty pleasing."

Beyond Hansen, there were numerous encouraging aspects for Farrell.

Sam Prendergast was excellent on his return to the fly-half position, the set piece and throw-in operated effectively and different player did not appear out of place in his first appearance in the forwards.

But perhaps more satisfying for the manager was the team bookending the match with two impressive spells.

Hansen's initial couple of scores occurred in the opening eleven moments while other players scored in the closing stages after the opposition had scored, ensuring the Irish side concluded on a positive note.

"In my opinion we really performed freely and approached the match right from the beginning," stated the coach.

"The way we managed various elements throughout the match, particularly the opposition responding just before the break and regathering ourselves and producing a performance like we achieved in the second half, I believed as far as territory and being familiar with the majority of our strategy in that later period was really satisfying."

The might of the Springboks are awaiting for the team, in what could be viewed as an informal conclusion to the previous season's drawn two-Test series on rival territory.

The coach's team will need to reach another standard to defeat the back-to-back world champions, but Saturday's defeat of the Wallabies was a important advancement in the right direction after an uninspiring beginning to their fall campaign.