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After their previous disappointing performance against Japan, the head coach told his Irish squad to improve their performance.

The team listened immediately.

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

However, against the Wallabies, they began strongly, with Mack Hansen shining brightest during a 46-19 victory that marked the team's finest display of the season.

In his first test match appearance at full-back, the player registered a hat-trick, contested excellently for aerial challenges and played outstandingly against the country of his birth.

"You know, I've had a pretty challenging period with injuries honestly," Hansen commented.

"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 group and this feels like family.

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

"My whole focus this week was to go out and do what I can do."

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

After twenty-eight appearances on the flank, the player was given the number 15 role for the initial time with multiple players injured.

In his case, it was essentially a case of picking up where he finished during the warmer months.

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

Having returned last month, he suffered a lower body injury that made him unavailable for previous matches.

The coach had suggested that the player was especially determined and these proved not hollow statements as the ex- club player gave his coach a welcome selection headache for upcoming matches.

"Well my initial thoughts were, 'You need to play excellently in those two coloured shoes!'," said the coach, referring to Hansen's choice to wear different boots.

"Actually I believed that was appropriate but apparently Mack just made that himself regardless. So he's attracted notice to himself before he's even started.

"I said to him before the match, 'Good athletes don't need justifications, they can perform and just play naturally, you can get the man of the match if you want,' and he responded, 'Yes, I concur.'

"So he's that type of performer, he trains thoroughly, he's has a great approach to get across his detail and thus that's why he slotted straight back in and he was capable to be himself because of that."

Hansen's performance also earned praise from the opposing coach, who stated he was the "exceptional Australian performer" on the night.

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

"Regrettably, Hansen was likely the standout opposition player on the pitch. He's has a great ability and he's such a strong competitor."

Pressed about what makes Hansen a good fit at full-back, the coach added: "Showing up in the center of the field is a trait that he demonstrates from the wing anyway, but I imagine he's more in place for that frequently.

"The player's high ball play was excellent, wasn't it? I believed we persisted of executing the right thing and that was placing the possession again on them to secure territory.

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

Outside Hansen, there were numerous encouraging aspects for Farrell.

Sam Prendergast was outstanding on his comeback to the number 10 position, the set piece and line-out functioned smoothly and another player did not appear out of place in his first start in the front row.

But possibly more pleasing for Farrell was Ireland framing the game with multiple strong periods.

Hansen's initial couple of tries occurred in the first eleven moments while additional players registered in the final exchanges after the other team had scored, ensuring the home team concluded on a high.

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

"How we managed numerous aspects throughout the match, particularly the opposition coming back just before half-time and regathering ourselves and giving a performance like we achieved in the later stages, I believed as far as field position and being across the majority of our strategy in that second half was really pleasing."

The might of South Africa are next up for the team, in what could be viewed as an unofficial conclusion to last year's tied multiple match series on rival soil.

The coach's side will require to reach another standard to beat the back-to-back title holders, but Saturday's victory of the Australian team was a significant advancement in the correct path after an disappointing start to their autumn schedule.