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Following last week's disappointing performance against the Japanese team, the head coach told his Ireland squad to step up their performance.

Ireland responded right away.

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

Nevertheless, against the Wallabies, they began strongly, with Mack Hansen excelling most prominently during a 46-19 triumph that marked Ireland's finest display of the season.

In his debut test match start at the number 15 position, Hansen scored a three tries, contested excellently for aerial challenges and performed exceptionally against the nation of his birth.

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

"I missed being in this team, I understand there's much discussion about me not necessarily being born here and I didn't grow up here, but I love this team and this seems like family.

"Any time I have to represent for the national team it's a honor, if you fail to deliver a good showing you may not receive that privilege again.

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

Manager stated: 'Excellent players require no excuses'

Following twenty-eight caps on the flank, Hansen was entrusted the full-back role for the initial time with multiple players unavailable.

For him, it was essentially a matter of continuing where he finished during the summer.

The experienced player had been in excellent condition before injury ended his aspiration of joining the Test squad.

Having come back recently, he developed a lower body problem that made him unavailable for earlier fixtures.

The coach had suggested that Hansen was especially motivated and these proved not hollow statements as the former club player gave his manager a positive team dilemma for future games.

"Well my initial reaction were, 'You need to play excellently in those two coloured boots!'," said the coach, alluding to Hansen's decision to sport different boots.

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

"I told to him before the game, 'Excellent athletes don't need justifications, they can get on with it and just play naturally, you can get the player of the game if you want,' and he responded, 'Yes, I agree.'

"Therefore he's that type of player, he prepares well, he's has a excellent attitude to get across his preparation and so that's why he slotted right into the team and he was able to perform naturally because of that."

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

"I thought he was super, his knowledge showed to the fore," commented the ex- international manager.

"Unfortunately, Hansen was probably the standout opposition performer on the pitch. He's has a excellent skillset and he's such a good competitor."

Pressed about what enables Hansen a strong option at full-back, the coach continued: "Appearing in the middle of the pitch is something that he demonstrates from the wing anyway, but I suppose he's better in position for that more often.

"The player's aerial play was brilliant, wasn't it? I believed we persisted of executing the right approach and that was putting the ball again on them to gain field position.

"Why that was the correct thing to do is since it's the likes of Mackie who was getting the possessions returned, and other players, so [it's] quite satisfying."

Beyond Hansen, there were numerous positives for Farrell.

Another player was excellent on his comeback to the fly-half position, the scrum and line-out functioned smoothly and another player did not look uncomfortable in his debut start in the front row.

But perhaps most pleasing for the manager was Ireland framing the match with two strong spells.

The player's initial two scores occurred in the first 11 minutes while other players registered in the closing stages after the opposition had scored, ensuring the home side concluded on a high.

"In my opinion we truly let ourselves go and approached the match right from the beginning," said the coach.

"How we managed various aspects throughout the game, especially the opposition coming back just before the break and regathering ourselves and giving a display like we did in the later stages, I believed as far as field position and being familiar with most of our strategy in that later period was truly satisfying."

The strength of South Africa are next up for the team, in what could be considered as an unofficial conclusion to last year's drawn two-Test series on opposition territory.

Farrell's team will require to reach a higher level to defeat the consecutive title holders, but Saturday's defeat of the Australian team was a important advancement in the correct direction after an disappointing start to their fall campaign.