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After last week's underwhelming performance against the Japanese team, the head coach challenged his Irish squad to step up their game.

Ireland responded right away.

Ireland had struggled late against the All Blacks and required considerable time to get going versus Japan.

Nevertheless, facing Australia, they began strongly, with the talented back excelling brightest during a comprehensive victory that represented the team's best display of the season.

In his first test match start at the number 15 position, Hansen scored a hat-trick, competed brilliantly for high balls and performed exceptionally against the nation of his birth.

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

"I missed being in this team, I know there's much talk about me not exactly being born here and I wasn't raised here, but I adore this team and this feels like home.

"Any time I get to represent for Ireland it's a honor, if you don't put in a performance you may not get that opportunity again.

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

Coach declared: 'Excellent athletes don't need excuses'

After twenty-eight caps on the wing, Hansen was given the number 15 position for the first time with several players injured.

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

The experienced player had been in excellent form before injury disrupted his aspiration of joining the international team.

Having come back recently, he suffered a lower body injury that ruled him out for earlier matches.

The coach had suggested that Hansen was especially determined and these proved not empty words as the ex- club player gave his manager a positive team headache for future matches.

"Well my first thoughts were, 'You better play excellently in those different coloured boots!'," commented Farrell, alluding to the player's choice to sport mismatched boots.

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

"I told to him before the game, 'Good athletes don't need excuses, they can get on with it and just be themselves, you can win the player of the game if you choose,' and he responded, 'Yes, I agree.'

"So he's that kind of player, he trains thoroughly, he's has a great approach to understand his detail and thus that's why he fitted right into the team and he was capable to be himself due to that."

The player's performance also received commendation from the opposing manager, who remarked he was the "standout opposition player" on the evening.

"I thought he was outstanding, his knowledge was evident to the fore," said the ex- international coach.

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

When asked about what makes Hansen a good option at the number 15 position, the coach continued: "Appearing in the center of the pitch is a trait that he demonstrates from the wing regardless, but I imagine he's more in place for that more often.

"His aerial work was excellent, don't you think? I believed we didn't get bored of executing the right approach and that was placing the ball again on them to secure territory.

"Why that was the right strategy to do is since it's the likes of Hansen who was getting the balls returned, and other players, so [it's] quite pleasing."

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

Another player was outstanding on his return to the fly-half jersey, the scrum and line-out functioned effectively and another teammate did not appear out of place in his debut start in the forwards.

But perhaps most satisfying for Farrell was the team bookending the game with two strong periods.

Hansen's first couple of scores came in the opening 11 moments while additional teammates scored in the closing stages after the other team had scored, ensuring the Irish team finished on a high.

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

"How we managed numerous aspects during the match, especially them responding just before half-time and regathering ourselves and giving a display like we achieved in the second half, I believed as far as field position and being across the majority of our strategy in that second half was really pleasing."

The might of the Springboks are next up for the team, in what might be viewed as an informal decider to the previous season's drawn two-Test contest on opposition soil.

The coach's side will need to attain another standard to beat the consecutive title holders, but Saturday's victory of the Wallabies was a significant step in the correct direction after an disappointing start to their fall campaign.