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

Ireland listened right away.

The Irish side had struggled late against the All Blacks and required considerable time to get going versus Japan.

Nevertheless, against Australia, they started strongly, with Mack Hansen excelling most prominently during a comprehensive triumph that represented the team's best display of the season.

In his first international start at the number 15 position, the player scored a hat-trick, competed brilliantly for aerial challenges and played exceptionally against the nation of his birth.

"Look, I've experienced a fairly difficult run with injuries really," Hansen commented.

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

"Whenever I get to play for Ireland it's a privilege, if you fail to deliver a good showing you may not receive that opportunity again.

"My whole approach this week was to go out and do what I can do."

Coach declared: 'Excellent players require no justifications'

Following twenty-eight caps on the wing, the player was given the full-back position for the initial time with multiple teammates unavailable.

For him, it was simply a case of continuing where he left off during the warmer months.

The experienced player had been in excellent form before injury ended his aspiration of joining the Test team.

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

The coach had suggested that Hansen was particularly motivated and these turned out to be not empty statements as the ex- club player gave his coach a positive team headache for future games.

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

"In fact I thought that was fitting but apparently Mack just did that himself anyway. So he's attracted notice to himself before he's even started.

"I told to him before the match, 'Excellent players require no excuses, they can get on with it and just play naturally, you can get the player of the game if you want,' and he went, 'Yeah, I concur.'

"Therefore he's that type of performer, he trains thoroughly, he's has a excellent approach to understand his preparation and so that's why he fitted straight into the team and he was capable to be himself due to that."

Hansen's efforts also earned commendation from the opposing manager, who remarked he was the "standout Australian performer" on the evening.

"I thought he was outstanding, his experience showed to the fore," commented the ex- international coach.

"Regrettably, Mack was likely the standout opposition performer on the field. He's has a great skillset and he's such a good competitor."

Pressed about what enables Hansen a strong fit at the number 15 position, the coach continued: "Showing up in the center of the field is something that he does from the wing anyway, but I suppose he's better in place for that frequently.

"His aerial play was brilliant, wasn't it? I thought we persisted of executing the right approach and that was placing the possession back on them to secure field position.

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

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

Another player was excellent on his return to the number 10 position, the set piece and throw-in functioned effectively and different teammate did not look uncomfortable in his first appearance in the front row.

But perhaps most satisfying for Farrell was Ireland framing the match with multiple impressive periods.

The player's first two scores occurred in the first eleven minutes while other teammates scored in the final stages after the other team had scored, ensuring the Irish team finished on a high.

"I thought we really performed freely and approached the match straight from the word go," said Farrell.

"How we handled various aspects during the game, particularly the opposition responding just before half-time and regathering ourselves and giving a display like we did in the later stages, I believed as far as territory and being familiar with the majority of our strategy in that second half was really pleasing."

The strength of South Africa are next up for Ireland, in what might be viewed as an informal conclusion to the previous season's drawn multiple match series on rival soil.

Farrell's side will require to reach a higher level to beat the consecutive title holders, but Saturday's defeat of the Australian team was a important advancement in the correct direction after an disappointing beginning to their autumn campaign.