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After last week's disappointing showing against the Japanese team, Andy Farrell challenged his Irish squad to step up their game.

The team listened right away.

The Irish side had faded in the final stages against New Zealand and taken most of the match to find their rhythm versus their Asian opponents.

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

Making his first international appearance at full-back, Hansen scored a hat-trick, competed brilliantly for aerial challenges and performed outstandingly against the country of his birth.

"Look, I've had a fairly challenging run with fitness issues honestly," Hansen commented.

"I longed for being in this squad, I know there's much discussion about me not necessarily being raised here and I wasn't raised here, but I adore this team and this feels like home.

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

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

Coach declared: 'Excellent players don't need justifications'

After 28 caps on the wing, the player was given the number 15 position for the first time with multiple teammates injured.

In his case, it was simply a matter of picking up where he finished during the warmer months.

The 28-year-old had been in superb condition before physical issues disrupted his aspiration of making the Test squad.

Having come back recently, he developed a foot problem that ruled him out for previous fixtures.

The coach had indicated that the player was especially determined and these turned out to be not hollow statements as the former provincial player gave his coach a welcome selection headache for future matches.

"Well my initial reaction were, 'You better play excellently in those two colored shoes!'," commented Farrell, alluding to the player's choice to wear different footwear.

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

"I said to him before the match, 'Good players don't need 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 prepares well, he's got a great approach to get across his detail and thus that's why he fitted right into the team and he was capable to perform naturally because of that."

The player's performance also received commendation from the rival manager, who remarked he was the "exceptional Australian performer" on the evening.

"In my view he was super, his knowledge was evident to the front," commented the ex- international coach.

"Unfortunately, Hansen was probably the standout opposition performer on the field. He's got a great skillset and he's such a good competitor."

Pressed about what enables the player a strong option at the number 15 position, the coach added: "Showing up in the center of the field is something that he does from the flank anyway, but I imagine he's better in place for that frequently.

"His high ball play was brilliant, wasn't it? I believed we persisted of doing the correct thing and that was placing the possession again on them to secure field position.

"Why that was the right strategy to do is because it's the likes of Hansen who was securing the possessions back, and additional teammates, so [it's] pretty pleasing."

Outside Hansen, there were numerous encouraging aspects for Farrell.

Another player was excellent on his comeback to the fly-half position, the set piece and line-out functioned effectively and another teammate did not appear uncomfortable in his debut appearance in the forwards.

But possibly most pleasing for the manager was Ireland framing the match with multiple strong spells.

The player's first couple of scores came in the first 11 minutes while additional players registered in the closing stages after the opposition had crossed, guaranteeing the home side finished on a positive note.

"In my opinion we really let ourselves go and approached the game straight from the beginning," said the coach.

"The way we handled various elements during the match, especially them coming back just before half-time and reorganizing ourselves and producing a performance like we did in the second half, I thought as far as territory and being across most of our strategy in that later period was truly pleasing."

The might of the Springboks are awaiting for Ireland, in what might be viewed as an unofficial conclusion to last year's drawn multiple match contest on rival territory.

The coach's team will need to reach a higher level to beat the consecutive title holders, but the recent victory of the Wallabies was a significant advancement in the right direction after an disappointing start to their fall campaign.