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Following last week's underwhelming showing against the Japanese team, Andy Farrell challenged his Irish squad to improve their performance.

Ireland responded immediately.

Ireland had struggled late against the All Blacks and required most of the match to find their rhythm versus their Asian opponents.

Nevertheless, facing the Wallabies, they began strongly, with the talented back shining most prominently during a comprehensive triumph that marked the team's finest display this year.

Making his first international start at the number 15 position, the player scored a hat-trick, contested brilliantly for high balls and played exceptionally against the country of his origin.

"Look, I've experienced a fairly difficult period with injuries honestly," Hansen stated.

"I missed being in this team, I know there's considerable talk about me not necessarily being raised here and I wasn't raised here, but I love this team and this feels like home.

"Any time I have to play for the national team it's a honor, if you fail to deliver a performance you might not get that privilege again.

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

Manager stated: 'Good players don't need justifications'

Following twenty-eight appearances on the flank, Hansen was entrusted the full-back role for the first time with multiple players unavailable.

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

The 28-year-old had been in superb condition before injury disrupted his aspiration of joining the international team.

Having come back last month, he suffered a lower body problem that made him unavailable for previous matches.

Farrell had indicated that the player was especially determined and these turned out to be not hollow words as the former provincial player gave his manager a welcome selection dilemma for future games.

"Well my first reaction were, 'You need to perform excellently in those different colored boots!'," commented the coach, alluding to Hansen's decision to wear mismatched boots.

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

"I told to him before the game, 'Excellent athletes require no justifications, they can perform and just be themselves, you can win the man of the match if you want,' and he went, 'Yes, I concur.'

"So he's that type of performer, he trains well, he's has a excellent approach to understand his preparation and thus that's why he slotted right back in and he was able to be himself because of that."

The player's efforts also earned praise from the opposing manager, who remarked he was the "standout opposition performer" on the night.

"In my view he was super, his experience was evident to the front," said the ex- international coach.

"Unfortunately, Mack was probably the standout Australian player on the field. He's got a great skillset and he's such a good contender."

Pressed about what enables Hansen a strong option at the number 15 position, Farrell continued: "Appearing in the middle of the pitch is a trait that he does from the flank anyway, but I imagine he's more in position for that more often.

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

"Why that was the right strategy to do is because it's the likes of Mackie who was securing the balls back, and other teammates, so [it's] pretty pleasing."

Outside Hansen, there were multiple encouraging aspects for the coach.

Sam Prendergast was excellent on his comeback to the number 10 jersey, the set piece and line-out operated effectively and different player did not appear uncomfortable in his first appearance in the forwards.

But possibly more pleasing for the manager was the team framing the game with multiple strong spells.

The player's first couple of tries occurred in the opening 11 minutes while other teammates scored in the final stages after the opposition had crossed, ensuring the Irish side finished on a positive note.

"I thought we truly let ourselves go and approached the match straight from the beginning," said Farrell.

"The way we handled various elements throughout the game, particularly the opposition coming back just before the break and regathering ourselves and giving a performance like we achieved in the later stages, I thought as far as territory and being familiar with most of our game in that second half was really pleasing."

The might of the Springboks are awaiting for the team, in what could be considered as an unofficial conclusion to last year's drawn two-Test contest on rival soil.

The coach's side will need to reach a higher standard to defeat the back-to-back title holders, but Saturday's defeat of the Australian team was a important advancement in the right path after an disappointing start to their autumn schedule.