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

The team listened immediately.

Ireland had struggled in the final stages against New Zealand and taken considerable time to find their rhythm versus their Asian opponents.

Nevertheless, against Australia, they started powerfully, with the talented back excelling brightest during a 46-19 victory that marked Ireland's best display of the season.

Making his debut test match start at the number 15 position, the player registered a three tries, contested brilliantly for aerial challenges and played exceptionally against the country of his birth.

"Look, I've experienced a pretty difficult period with injuries honestly," Hansen 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 love this group and this feels like family.

"Any time I have to play for the national team it's a honor, if you don't put in a performance you may not get that opportunity again.

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

Manager declared: 'Excellent players require no excuses'

Following twenty-eight appearances on the flank, the player was given the full-back role for the initial time with several teammates injured.

For him, it was essentially a matter of continuing where he finished during the warmer months.

The experienced player had been in excellent form before physical issues disrupted his aspiration of making the Test team.

Having come back last month, he developed a lower body problem that ruled him out for earlier fixtures.

The coach had indicated that Hansen was particularly determined and these proved not hollow statements as the ex- provincial player gave his coach a positive team dilemma for upcoming games.

"So my initial reaction were, 'You need to perform excellently in those different coloured shoes!'," commented Farrell, alluding to the player's choice to sport different boots.

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

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

"Therefore he's that kind of performer, he trains well, he's has a great approach to understand his detail and thus that's why he slotted right back in and he was capable to be himself because of that."

Hansen's performance also received praise from the opposing manager, who stated he was the "standout opposition performer" on the evening.

"In my view he was outstanding, his knowledge was evident to the front," said the ex- national coach.

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

When asked about what makes the player a strong fit at full-back, the coach added: "Showing up in the center of the pitch is something that he does from the wing anyway, but I suppose he's more in place for that frequently.

"His high ball work was excellent, don't you think? I thought we persisted of executing the right approach and that was putting the possession back on them to secure field position.

"The reason that was the correct strategy to do is because it's the likes of Hansen who was getting the balls back, and other teammates, so [it's] quite pleasing."

Beyond the star performer, there were multiple positives for Farrell.

Sam Prendergast was outstanding on his return to the number 10 position, the scrum and line-out operated smoothly and another player did not look out of place in his debut appearance in the front row.

But possibly most pleasing for Farrell was the team bookending the game with two impressive periods.

The player's initial couple of scores occurred in the first 11 minutes while other players registered in the closing stages after the opposition had crossed, ensuring the home team concluded on a high.

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

"How we handled various aspects during the game, especially them coming back just before half-time and reorganizing ourselves and producing a display like we did in the second half, I believed as far as territory and being familiar with most of our game in that second half was truly pleasing."

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

The coach's team will need to attain another standard to defeat the consecutive world champions, but the recent defeat of the Australian team was a significant step in the right direction after an disappointing start to their fall campaign.