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After their previous underwhelming performance against Japan, the head coach challenged his Ireland squad to step up their game.

Ireland responded right away.

The Irish side had faded late against New Zealand and required considerable time to find their rhythm versus Japan.

However, against Australia, they began powerfully, with the talented back excelling most prominently during a 46-19 victory that marked the team's best performance of the season.

Making his debut international start at the number 15 position, Hansen registered a three tries, competed excellently for aerial challenges and performed outstandingly against the country of his birth.

"You know, I've experienced a fairly challenging run with injuries really," the athlete commented.

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

"Any time I get to play for Ireland it's a privilege, if you fail to deliver a good showing you might not get that privilege again.

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

Coach stated: 'Excellent players don't need justifications'

After twenty-eight appearances on the wing, the player was given the full-back role for the first time with multiple players unavailable.

For him, it was essentially a case of picking up where he finished during the summer.

The 28-year-old had been in superb form before physical issues disrupted his aspiration of making the Test squad.

Having come back last month, he developed a foot injury that made him unavailable for previous fixtures.

The coach had suggested that the player was especially motivated and these turned out to be not empty words as the ex- provincial player gave his coach a welcome selection headache for future games.

"So my initial reaction were, 'You need to play well in those two colored shoes!'," commented the coach, referring to Hansen's decision to sport different boots.

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

"I said to him before the game, 'Good athletes require no excuses, they can perform and just be themselves, you can get the player of the game if you choose,' and he responded, 'Yes, I concur.'

"Therefore he's that type of player, he trains thoroughly, he's has a excellent attitude to get across his detail and so that's why he fitted right into the team and he was capable to perform naturally because of that."

The player's efforts also earned praise from the opposing manager, who stated he was the "exceptional opposition player" on the evening.

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

"Regrettably, Hansen was probably the standout opposition performer on the pitch. He's got a excellent ability and he's such a strong contender."

When asked about what enables Hansen a good option at full-back, the coach continued: "Showing up in the center of the field is a trait that he demonstrates from the flank regardless, but I imagine he's more in position for that more often.

"The player's aerial work was excellent, wasn't it? I believed we persisted of doing the right thing and that was putting the possession back on them to gain territory.

"The reason that was the correct thing to do is since it's the players of Mackie who was securing the balls returned, and other teammates, so [it's] pretty satisfying."

Beyond Hansen, there were numerous positives for the coach.

Another player was excellent on his comeback to the fly-half position, the set piece and line-out functioned effectively and another teammate did not look uncomfortable in his first start in the front row.

But possibly most satisfying for Farrell was the team bookending the game with multiple impressive periods.

The player's initial couple of scores occurred in the opening eleven minutes while other players registered in the closing stages after the other team had crossed, guaranteeing the home team finished on a high.

"In my opinion we really performed freely and attacked the match straight from the word go," said the coach.

"The way we managed numerous elements throughout the game, especially the opposition coming back just before the break and regathering ourselves and producing a display like we did in the later stages, I thought as far as field position and being across most of our strategy in that later period was truly satisfying."

The strength of South Africa are awaiting for Ireland, in what could be considered as an unofficial conclusion to last year's drawn multiple match contest on opposition soil.

Farrell's team will need to reach another level to beat the consecutive world champions, but Saturday's victory of the Australian team was a significant advancement in the right direction after an disappointing beginning to their fall schedule.