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After last week's underwhelming performance against the Japanese team, the head coach challenged his Irish squad to improve their performance.

Ireland listened right away.

The Irish side had faded in the final stages against the All Blacks and required considerable time to find their rhythm versus their Asian opponents.

However, against Australia, they began powerfully, with Mack Hansen excelling brightest during a comprehensive victory that represented Ireland's finest display of the season.

In his debut international appearance at full-back, the player scored a hat-trick, competed brilliantly for high balls and played exceptionally against the nation of his birth.

"You know, I've had a fairly difficult run with fitness issues honestly," Hansen commented.

"I missed being in this team, I understand there's much talk about me not exactly being born here and I didn't grow up here, but I love this team and this seems like home.

"Whenever I get to play for Ireland it's a privilege, if you don't put in a performance you might not receive that privilege again.

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

Coach declared: 'Excellent athletes require no justifications'

Following 28 caps on the flank, Hansen was given the full-back role for the first time with multiple teammates unavailable.

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

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

Having come back last month, he suffered a foot injury that ruled him out for previous fixtures.

The coach had indicated that the player was especially determined and these turned out to be not empty statements as the ex- club player gave his coach a welcome team headache for upcoming matches.

"So my initial reaction were, 'You need to perform excellently in those two colored boots!'," said the coach, referring to Hansen's decision to wear different boots.

"Actually I believed that was appropriate but apparently Hansen just made that himself anyway. So he's drawn attention to himself before he's even begun.

"I said to him before the match, 'Good athletes don't need justifications, they can get on with it and just play naturally, you can get the player of the game if you choose,' and he went, 'Yeah, I agree.'

"Therefore he's that kind of performer, he trains thoroughly, he's has a great attitude to get across his preparation and so that's why he slotted straight back in and he was capable to perform naturally due to that."

The player's efforts also received praise from the rival manager, who remarked he was the "standout Australian performer" on the night.

"In my view he was outstanding, his knowledge was evident to the front," said the former national manager.

"Unfortunately, Mack was probably the standout Australian player on the field. He's has a excellent ability and he's such a good competitor."

When asked about what makes Hansen a strong fit at the number 15 position, Farrell added: "Showing up in the center of the pitch is something that he demonstrates from the flank regardless, but I imagine he's better in place for that frequently.

"The player's aerial play was brilliant, wasn't it? I thought we persisted of doing the right thing and that was placing the possession back on them to gain territory.

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

Outside Hansen, there were multiple encouraging aspects for Farrell.

Sam Prendergast was outstanding on his comeback to the number 10 position, the scrum and line-out functioned effectively and another teammate did not appear uncomfortable in his debut start in the forwards.

But perhaps more pleasing for Farrell was the team framing the match with multiple strong spells.

The player's first couple of tries came in the first eleven minutes while additional players registered in the final stages after the other team had crossed, ensuring the home side finished on a high.

"I thought we really performed freely and approached the match right from the beginning," said Farrell.

"How we handled various elements during the game, particularly them coming back just before half-time and reorganizing ourselves and producing a display like we achieved in the later stages, I believed as far as territory and being across most of our game in that later period was truly satisfying."

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

The coach's team will require to attain a higher standard to defeat the consecutive title holders, but Saturday's victory of the Wallabies was a significant step in the right path after an uninspiring start to their autumn schedule.