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After last week's underwhelming performance against the Japanese team, the head coach told his Irish team to improve their game.

The team listened immediately.

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

However, facing Australia, they began powerfully, with the talented back excelling most prominently during a 46-19 victory that represented Ireland's best display of the season.

In his first test match appearance at the number 15 position, Hansen scored a hat-trick, competed excellently for aerial challenges and played outstandingly against the nation of his origin.

"Look, I've had a fairly difficult period with fitness issues honestly," the athlete stated.

"I missed being in this squad, I understand there's considerable 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.

"Whenever I have to represent for the national team it's a privilege, if you don't put in a performance you might not get that opportunity again.

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

Manager stated: 'Good athletes require no excuses'

Following 28 caps on the wing, the player was given the full-back position for the initial time with several players injured.

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

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

Having returned last month, he suffered a foot problem that ruled him out for previous matches.

Farrell had suggested that Hansen was particularly determined and these proved not hollow words as the ex- club player gave his coach a positive selection dilemma for upcoming matches.

"So my initial thoughts were, 'You need to play excellently in those two coloured boots!'," commented the coach, referring to the player's decision to sport mismatched boots.

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

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

"Therefore he's that kind of player, he trains well, he's has a great attitude to understand his preparation and so that's why he slotted right back in and he was able to perform naturally because of that."

The player's efforts also earned praise from the opposing coach, who stated he was the "standout Australian player" on the night.

"In my view he was outstanding, his experience was evident to the fore," said the former international coach.

"Unfortunately, Mack was likely the standout opposition performer on the pitch. He's has a excellent skillset and he's such a good contender."

Pressed about what enables Hansen a good option at the number 15 position, the coach added: "Showing up in the middle of the field is something that he demonstrates from the flank regardless, but I imagine he's more in position for that frequently.

"The player's aerial play was brilliant, wasn't it? I believed we didn't get bored of doing the right approach and that was placing the ball back on them to gain field position.

"The reason that was the correct thing to do is since it's the likes of Hansen who was securing the possessions returned, and other players, so [it's] pretty pleasing."

Outside the star performer, there were multiple positives for Farrell.

Sam Prendergast was outstanding on his comeback to the number 10 jersey, the set piece and line-out operated smoothly and another player did not appear out of place in his first appearance in the front row.

But possibly more pleasing for Farrell was Ireland framing the game with multiple strong periods.

The player's initial couple of scores occurred in the opening 11 moments while additional players scored in the closing stages after the other team had scored, ensuring the Irish side finished on a high.

"I thought we truly let ourselves go and attacked the match right from the word go," said the coach.

"How we handled numerous aspects during the match, especially the opposition coming back just before half-time and reorganizing ourselves and giving a performance like we achieved in the second half, I thought as far as territory and being familiar with the majority of our game in that second half was really satisfying."

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

The coach's team will require to attain another standard to beat the back-to-back title holders, but the recent victory of the Wallabies was a important step in the right path after an uninspiring start to their autumn campaign.