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

The team responded right away.

The Irish side had faded late against the All Blacks and taken considerable time to get going versus their Asian opponents.

However, against Australia, they started strongly, with the talented back excelling brightest during a 46-19 triumph that represented the team's finest performance of the season.

Making his debut international appearance at the number 15 position, Hansen registered a three tries, competed excellently for aerial challenges and played exceptionally against the nation of his birth.

"Look, I've experienced a pretty difficult period with injuries honestly," the athlete commented.

"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 group and this seems like home.

"Any time I have to play for Ireland it's a privilege, if you fail to deliver a performance you may not get that privilege again.

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

Coach declared: 'Excellent athletes require no justifications'

Following twenty-eight caps on the flank, the player was given the number 15 position for the initial time with multiple players unavailable.

In his case, it was simply a matter of continuing where he left off during the summer.

The 28-year-old had been in superb form before injury ended his dream of joining the international squad.

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

The coach had indicated that Hansen was particularly motivated and these proved not empty statements as the former club player gave his coach a positive selection headache for upcoming matches.

"So my first thoughts were, 'You better perform well in those different colored shoes!'," said Farrell, referring to Hansen's choice to wear mismatched boots.

"In fact I thought that was fitting but it seems Hansen just made that himself anyway. So he's attracted notice to himself before he's even begun.

"I told to him before the match, 'Excellent athletes don't need justifications, they can get on with it and just play naturally, you can win the player of the game if you want,' and he went, 'Yes, I agree.'

"Therefore he's that kind of player, he trains well, he's got a great approach to get across his preparation and thus that's why he fitted right into the team and he was capable to perform naturally because of that."

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

"In my view he was outstanding, his experience showed to the fore," commented the ex- national coach.

"Regrettably, Mack was likely the best Australian player on the pitch. He's has a great skillset and he's such a good contender."

Pressed about what makes the player a strong fit at full-back, Farrell continued: "Showing up in the center of the pitch is a trait that he demonstrates from the wing anyway, but I suppose he's better in place for that more often.

"His aerial work was brilliant, don't you think? I believed we persisted of executing the correct approach and that was placing the ball again on them to secure territory.

"Why that was the right thing to do is since it's the players of Hansen who was securing the possessions back, and other teammates, so [it's] pretty satisfying."

Outside the star performer, there were numerous encouraging aspects for the coach.

Another player was excellent on his return to the fly-half jersey, the set piece and throw-in functioned smoothly and another teammate did not look out of place in his debut start in the front row.

But possibly most satisfying for Farrell was the team bookending the match with two strong periods.

Hansen's first two scores came in the opening 11 moments while additional teammates registered in the closing exchanges after the other team had scored, ensuring the Irish side concluded on a positive note.

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

"The way we handled various aspects throughout the game, especially the opposition coming back just before the break and regathering ourselves and giving a performance like we did in the second half, I thought as far as field position and being across the majority of our strategy in that second half was really satisfying."

The might of the Springboks are next up for Ireland, in what might be considered as an informal decider to last year's tied multiple match series on opposition soil.

The coach's side will need to attain a higher standard to beat the back-to-back title holders, but Saturday's defeat of the Wallabies was a important step in the right direction after an disappointing beginning to their autumn campaign.