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After their previous underwhelming performance against the Japanese team, the head coach challenged his Ireland team to step up their performance.

The team listened right away.

The Irish side had struggled in the final stages against the All Blacks and required most of the match to find their rhythm versus their Asian opponents.

Nevertheless, against the Wallabies, they began powerfully, with Mack Hansen shining most prominently during a comprehensive victory that marked Ireland's best display of the season.

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

"Look, I've had a fairly challenging run with fitness issues really," the athlete commented.

"I longed for 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 group and this seems like family.

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

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

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

Following twenty-eight caps on the wing, Hansen was entrusted the number 15 position for the first time with several players unavailable.

In his case, it was simply a case of continuing where he left off during the warmer months.

The experienced player had been in excellent form before physical issues ended his dream of making the Test team.

After come back last month, he suffered a foot injury that made him unavailable for earlier fixtures.

Farrell had indicated that Hansen was especially motivated and these proved not empty statements as the ex- club player gave his manager a welcome selection headache for future games.

"So my first thoughts were, 'You need to play excellently in those two colored shoes!'," said Farrell, referring to the player's decision to wear mismatched footwear.

"In fact I believed that was fitting but it seems Hansen just made that himself regardless. So he's attracted notice to himself before he's even begun.

"I said to him before the match, 'Good athletes require no excuses, they can perform and just play naturally, you can get the player of the game if you choose,' and he responded, 'Yes, I concur.'

"So he's that kind of player, he trains thoroughly, he's has a excellent approach to understand his detail and so that's why he fitted right into the team and he was capable to perform naturally due to that."

Hansen's performance also earned praise from the opposing manager, who remarked he was the "exceptional opposition player" on the night.

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

"Regrettably, Mack was probably the standout opposition performer on the pitch. He's got a great ability and he's such a strong contender."

Pressed about what enables the player a strong fit at the number 15 position, the coach continued: "Appearing in the middle of the pitch is something that he does from the wing regardless, but I suppose he's better in position for that more often.

"The player's high ball play was excellent, don't you think? I thought we persisted of doing the right approach and that was placing the possession back on them to secure field position.

"The reason that was the right thing to do is because it's the players of Hansen who was getting the balls returned, and additional teammates, so [it's] pretty pleasing."

Beyond Hansen, there were numerous encouraging aspects for the coach.

Another player was outstanding on his return to the number 10 jersey, the scrum and line-out operated effectively and another player did not look uncomfortable in his first appearance in the forwards.

But possibly more satisfying for the manager was the team bookending the match with multiple impressive spells.

The player's initial two tries came in the first 11 minutes while other teammates registered in the closing stages after the other team had crossed, ensuring the home team finished on a high.

"In my opinion we truly performed freely and attacked the game straight from the word go," said Farrell.

"The way we managed numerous aspects during the game, especially the opposition responding just before half-time and reorganizing ourselves and producing a performance like we did in the later stages, I believed as far as field position and being across most of our game in that later period was really pleasing."

The might of the Springboks are next up for Ireland, in what might be viewed as an unofficial decider to the previous season's drawn two-Test contest on rival territory.

Farrell's team will require to attain a higher level to defeat the back-to-back title holders, but Saturday's victory of the Australian team was a significant step in the right direction after an uninspiring start to their fall schedule.