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After their previous underwhelming showing against the Japanese team, the head coach told his Irish team to improve their game.

The team responded immediately.

The Irish side had faded late against the All Blacks and taken most of the match to get going versus Japan.

However, facing the Wallabies, they began strongly, with Mack Hansen excelling most prominently during a 46-19 victory that represented Ireland's best display this year.

In his first test match start at the number 15 position, the player registered a hat-trick, contested excellently for aerial challenges and played outstandingly against the country of his origin.

"Look, I've experienced a pretty challenging period with injuries really," Hansen commented.

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

"Whenever I get to represent for Ireland it's a privilege, if you fail to deliver a good showing you may not get that opportunity again.

"My whole approach this period was to go out and do what I can do."

Coach declared: 'Excellent athletes don't need justifications'

Following twenty-eight appearances on the wing, the player was entrusted the full-back position for the initial time with several players unavailable.

In his case, it was essentially a matter of picking up where he left off during the summer.

The experienced player had been in superb form before physical issues disrupted his aspiration of joining the international team.

Having returned last month, he suffered a foot injury that made him unavailable for earlier fixtures.

Farrell had suggested that Hansen was particularly motivated and these proved not hollow words as the former provincial player gave his coach a positive team dilemma for upcoming matches.

"So my initial thoughts were, 'You better play excellently in those two coloured boots!'," said the coach, referring to the player's choice to wear mismatched boots.

"In fact I thought that was appropriate but apparently Mack just did that himself anyway. So he's drawn notice to himself before he's even begun.

"I said to him before the game, 'Good players don't need excuses, they can perform and just play naturally, you can get the man of the match if you want,' and he went, 'Yeah, I concur.'

"So he's that kind of player, he trains well, he's got a great attitude to get across his preparation and so that's why he fitted right back in and he was able to perform naturally due to that."

Hansen's performance also earned commendation from the opposing manager, who remarked he was the "standout Australian player" on the night.

"I thought he was super, his experience was evident to the front," said the former international manager.

"Unfortunately, Hansen was probably the standout Australian player on the field. He's got a great skillset and he's such a strong competitor."

When asked about what enables the player a good fit at full-back, the coach added: "Showing up in the middle of the field is something that he does from the wing regardless, but I imagine he's more in place for that frequently.

"His aerial play was brilliant, don't you think? I thought we didn't get bored of executing the correct approach and that was putting the ball again on them to gain field position.

"The reason that was the right thing to do is since it's the likes of Hansen who was securing the possessions back, and additional teammates, so [it's] quite satisfying."

Outside the star performer, there were numerous positives for the coach.

Another player was outstanding on his comeback to the fly-half position, the scrum and line-out functioned effectively and different player did not look out of place in his first appearance in the front row.

But perhaps most pleasing for Farrell was the team bookending the match with two strong periods.

Hansen's first two tries occurred in the first 11 moments while additional players scored in the final exchanges after the opposition had scored, ensuring the home team finished on a high.

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

"The way we managed numerous elements during the match, especially them responding just before half-time and regathering ourselves and giving a display like we did in the second half, I thought as far as field position and being familiar with most of our game in that later period was truly satisfying."

The might of the Springboks are awaiting for the team, in what could be viewed as an unofficial conclusion to the previous season's tied multiple match series on opposition territory.

Farrell's side will need to reach a higher standard to beat the consecutive title holders, but Saturday's defeat of the Australian team was a significant advancement in the right path after an disappointing beginning to their fall campaign.