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Following last week's underwhelming performance against the Japanese team, the head coach challenged his Ireland squad to improve their performance.

Ireland responded right away.

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

Nevertheless, facing the Wallabies, they started powerfully, with the talented back shining most prominently during a 46-19 triumph that represented Ireland's best display this year.

Making his first test match appearance at full-back, the player registered a hat-trick, competed brilliantly for high balls and played exceptionally against the country of his birth.

"Look, I've experienced a pretty challenging period with fitness issues honestly," the athlete commented.

"I longed for being in this squad, I understand there's much talk about me not necessarily being raised here and I didn't grow up here, but I adore this group and this feels like home.

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

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

Manager declared: 'Excellent players require no justifications'

After 28 appearances on the wing, Hansen was given the full-back role for the initial time with several teammates unavailable.

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

The experienced player had been in superb form before injury disrupted his aspiration of joining the Test squad.

Having returned last month, he developed a lower body injury that ruled him out for earlier fixtures.

The coach had suggested that Hansen was especially determined and these proved not hollow statements as the former provincial player gave his manager a welcome selection headache for future games.

"So my initial reaction were, 'You need to perform excellently in those different colored boots!'," commented Farrell, alluding to the player's decision to wear different boots.

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

"I told to him before the game, 'Excellent players require no justifications, they can get on with it and just be themselves, you can get the man of the match if you want,' and he went, 'Yeah, I concur.'

"So he's that kind of player, he trains well, he's got a great approach to understand his preparation and thus that's why he fitted right into the team and he was capable to be himself because of that."

Hansen's performance also earned commendation from the opposing manager, who stated he was the "exceptional opposition performer" on the evening.

"In my view he was outstanding, his knowledge was evident to the fore," commented the ex- national coach.

"Regrettably, Hansen was probably the standout Australian player on the pitch. He's got a excellent skillset and he's such a good competitor."

Pressed about what enables Hansen a good option at full-back, the coach continued: "Showing up in the center of the pitch is a trait that he demonstrates from the wing anyway, but I suppose he's better in place for that more often.

"The player's aerial work was brilliant, don't you think? I believed we didn't get bored of executing the correct thing and that was putting the possession again on them to secure field position.

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

Outside Hansen, there were numerous positives for Farrell.

Another player was excellent on his comeback to the fly-half jersey, the scrum and line-out functioned effectively and different player did not look out of place in his debut appearance in the front row.

But perhaps most pleasing for Farrell was the team bookending the match with two impressive spells.

Hansen's initial two tries occurred in the opening eleven minutes while additional teammates registered in the final exchanges after the opposition had scored, ensuring the home side finished on a positive note.

"In my opinion we really performed freely and attacked the game straight from the beginning," stated Farrell.

"The way we managed numerous aspects throughout the match, particularly them coming back just before half-time and reorganizing ourselves and producing a display like we did in the later stages, I thought as far as territory and being familiar with the majority of our game in that second half was truly satisfying."

The might of South Africa are awaiting for Ireland, in what might be viewed as an unofficial decider to the previous season's drawn multiple match series on rival soil.

Farrell's team will need to attain a higher level to defeat the consecutive world champions, but Saturday's victory of the Australian team was a significant step in the correct path after an disappointing beginning to their fall schedule.