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Following last week's disappointing performance against Japan, the head coach told his Irish team to step up their game.

Ireland responded right away.

Ireland had struggled in the final stages against the All Blacks and required considerable time to find their rhythm versus their Asian opponents.

However, against the Wallabies, they began strongly, with Mack Hansen excelling most prominently during a 46-19 victory that represented the team's finest performance this year.

In his first test match start at the number 15 position, Hansen registered a hat-trick, contested excellently for high balls and played outstandingly against the country of his birth.

"You know, I've had a pretty challenging period with fitness issues honestly," Hansen stated.

"I longed for being in this team, I know there's much discussion about me not necessarily being born here and I didn't grow up here, but I love this group and this feels like home.

"Whenever I have to represent for Ireland it's a privilege, if you fail to deliver a performance you might not receive that opportunity again.

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

Coach stated: 'Good players require no excuses'

Following twenty-eight caps on the wing, Hansen was given the number 15 position for the initial 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 superb form before physical issues ended his dream of making the Test squad.

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

Farrell had indicated that Hansen was especially motivated and these turned out to be not hollow statements as the ex- provincial player gave his coach a positive team headache for future games.

"Well my first thoughts were, 'You better play well in those two colored boots!'," commented the coach, referring to Hansen's decision to sport mismatched footwear.

"Actually I believed that was fitting but apparently Mack just did that personally anyway. So he's attracted notice to himself before he's even started.

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

"So he's that kind of performer, he trains thoroughly, he's has a great approach to understand his preparation and thus that's why he fitted straight back in and he was capable to be himself due to that."

The player's performance also earned praise from the rival coach, who stated he was the "exceptional Australian player" on the night.

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

"Regrettably, Mack was probably the standout opposition player on the field. He's has a excellent skillset and he's such a good competitor."

When asked about what makes Hansen a strong fit at the number 15 position, the coach continued: "Appearing in the middle of the pitch is something that he demonstrates from the wing anyway, but I suppose he's better in place for that more often.

"The player's high ball work was excellent, don't you think? I believed we persisted of executing the right approach and that was placing the ball back on them to gain territory.

"Why that was the correct thing to do is because it's the players of Hansen who was securing the possessions back, and other players, so [it's] quite pleasing."

Beyond Hansen, there were numerous positives for Farrell.

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

But perhaps more pleasing for the manager was Ireland bookending the game with multiple impressive spells.

The player's initial couple of tries occurred in the first eleven minutes while other teammates registered in the closing stages after the other team had crossed, guaranteeing the Irish team finished on a positive note.

"I thought we really performed freely and attacked the game straight from the word go," said the coach.

"The way we managed numerous aspects during the match, particularly them coming back just before half-time and regathering ourselves and giving a performance like we did in the second half, I believed as far as field position and being across most of our strategy in that second half was truly pleasing."

The strength of South Africa are next up for the team, in what could be viewed as an unofficial decider to the previous season's tied multiple match series on rival territory.

The coach's team will require to attain a higher standard to defeat the back-to-back title holders, but the recent victory of the Australian team was a important advancement in the right direction after an disappointing beginning to their autumn campaign.