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After their previous underwhelming performance against Japan, Andy Farrell challenged his Ireland team to improve their performance.

Ireland responded right away.

The Irish side had faded late against New Zealand and required considerable time to find their rhythm versus their Asian opponents.

However, against the Wallabies, they began strongly, with the talented back shining most prominently during a 46-19 victory that marked the team's finest performance of the season.

Making his first international appearance at full-back, the player scored a three tries, contested brilliantly for aerial challenges and played exceptionally against the country of his birth.

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

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

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

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

Manager stated: 'Good athletes require no excuses'

After 28 caps on the wing, Hansen was entrusted the full-back role for the initial time with several teammates injured.

For him, it was essentially a case of picking up where he left off during the warmer months.

The 28-year-old had been in excellent condition before injury disrupted his aspiration of making the Test squad.

After come back recently, he suffered a lower body injury that made him unavailable for earlier matches.

The coach had suggested that the player was especially motivated and these proved not hollow statements as the former club player gave his manager a welcome selection headache for upcoming matches.

"So my initial thoughts were, 'You need to play well in those two coloured boots!'," commented the coach, referring to the player's choice to wear mismatched footwear.

"In fact I believed that was appropriate but apparently Mack just made that himself regardless. So he's attracted notice to himself before he's even begun.

"I told to him before the match, 'Excellent players require no excuses, they can perform and just play naturally, you can win the player of the game if you want,' and he went, 'Yes, I agree.'

"So he's that kind of player, he prepares well, he's has a great attitude to get across his preparation and so that's why he fitted right back in and he was able to perform naturally because of that."

Hansen's performance also earned commendation from the opposing coach, who stated he was the "exceptional Australian player" on the night.

"In my view he was super, his experience was evident to the front," commented the former national manager.

"Regrettably, Hansen was likely the best Australian player on the field. He's has a great ability and he's such a good competitor."

When asked about what enables Hansen a strong option at the number 15 position, Farrell continued: "Showing up in the middle of the pitch is something that he demonstrates from the flank anyway, but I imagine he's better in position for that more often.

"The player's high ball work was brilliant, wasn't it? I thought we didn't get bored of executing the right thing and that was putting the possession back on them to gain territory.

"Why that was the right thing to do is since it's the likes of Mackie who was securing the balls back, and additional teammates, so [it's] pretty pleasing."

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

Another player was excellent on his comeback to the number 10 jersey, the scrum and throw-in functioned smoothly and different teammate did not look uncomfortable in his first start in the front row.

But possibly most satisfying for Farrell was Ireland bookending the game with two strong spells.

The player's initial couple of scores came in the first 11 moments while other players scored in the final stages after the other team had scored, guaranteeing the home team finished on a positive note.

"I thought we really let ourselves go and attacked the match straight from the beginning," stated Farrell.

"The way we handled numerous aspects throughout the match, especially them coming back just before the break and reorganizing ourselves and producing a display like we achieved in the later stages, I believed as far as territory and being across the majority of our strategy in that second half was really pleasing."

The might of the Springboks are next up for Ireland, in what could be considered as an informal conclusion to the previous season's tied two-Test contest on opposition soil.

Farrell's team will require to reach a higher level to defeat the consecutive title holders, but Saturday's defeat of the Australian team was a important step in the correct path after an disappointing start to their fall schedule.