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Following last week's underwhelming performance against the Japanese team, the head coach challenged his Ireland team to improve their performance.

The team listened right away.

The Irish side had struggled in the final stages against New Zealand and required most of the match to get going versus Japan.

Nevertheless, against the Wallabies, they began strongly, with the talented back shining brightest during a 46-19 victory that represented the team's best performance of the season.

In his debut international appearance at full-back, Hansen registered a hat-trick, contested excellently for aerial challenges and performed outstandingly against the nation of his origin.

"Look, I've experienced a fairly challenging run with fitness issues really," Hansen stated.

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

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

"My entire approach this week was to take the field and do what I could do."

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

After twenty-eight appearances on the flank, Hansen was given the number 15 role for the first time with multiple teammates unavailable.

For him, it was essentially a matter of picking up where he left off during the summer.

The 28-year-old had been in excellent form before injury ended his aspiration of joining the international team.

Having come back recently, he developed a lower body problem that made him unavailable for earlier matches.

Farrell had indicated that the player was particularly motivated and these turned out to be not hollow statements as the ex- club player gave his coach a welcome team headache for future matches.

"Well my initial thoughts were, 'You need to perform excellently in those different colored boots!'," commented Farrell, alluding to Hansen's decision to sport mismatched boots.

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

"I said to him before the match, 'Excellent athletes don't need excuses, they can get on with it and just be themselves, you can win the player of the game if you choose,' and he went, 'Yes, I concur.'

"So he's that kind of performer, he trains well, he's got a great attitude to understand his detail and thus that's why he slotted straight back in and he was capable to perform naturally due to that."

The player's performance also earned commendation from the rival manager, who remarked he was the "exceptional opposition performer" on the night.

"I thought he was super, his experience showed to the front," said the former international coach.

"Unfortunately, Mack was likely the best Australian performer on the pitch. He's has a great skillset and he's such a strong competitor."

Pressed about what makes Hansen a strong fit at the number 15 position, Farrell continued: "Showing up 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 aerial work was brilliant, wasn't it? I thought we persisted of executing the right thing and that was putting the possession again on them to secure territory.

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

Beyond Hansen, there were multiple encouraging aspects for Farrell.

Another player was outstanding on his comeback to the number 10 position, the scrum and throw-in operated smoothly and different teammate did not look uncomfortable in his debut appearance in the forwards.

But possibly more satisfying for the manager was Ireland bookending the game with multiple impressive spells.

The player's first two tries occurred in the opening 11 moments while other players scored in the final stages after the other team had scored, ensuring the Irish side concluded on a high.

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

"How we handled numerous aspects during the match, especially the opposition coming back just before the break and reorganizing ourselves and producing a display like we achieved in the later stages, I thought as far as field position and being across the majority of our game in that later period was really satisfying."

The might of South Africa are next up for Ireland, in what could be considered as an unofficial decider to last year's tied multiple match contest on opposition territory.

The coach's side will require to reach a higher level to beat the back-to-back world champions, but the recent victory of the Australian team was a significant step in the correct path after an disappointing start to their autumn schedule.