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

Ireland responded immediately.

Ireland had faded 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 powerfully, with Mack Hansen shining brightest during a comprehensive triumph that marked the team's best performance of the season.

Making his first international start at the number 15 position, Hansen scored a three tries, competed brilliantly for high balls and performed exceptionally against the country of his origin.

"Look, I've experienced a fairly challenging period with injuries really," the athlete commented.

"I longed for being in this team, I understand there's considerable talk about me not exactly being raised here and I wasn't raised here, but I adore this team and this feels like family.

"Whenever I have to play for Ireland it's a honor, if you don't put in a performance you may not get that opportunity again.

"My whole approach this week was to go out and perform what I could do."

Manager stated: 'Excellent players require no justifications'

After 28 caps on the wing, Hansen was given the number 15 position for the first time with multiple players injured.

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

The experienced player had been in excellent form before injury disrupted his aspiration of making the international team.

After come back last month, he suffered a lower body injury that made him unavailable for previous fixtures.

Farrell had suggested that Hansen was particularly motivated and these proved not empty statements as the former provincial player gave his manager a welcome selection dilemma for future matches.

"So my initial reaction were, 'You better play well in those two colored boots!'," said Farrell, alluding to Hansen's choice to sport mismatched footwear.

"In fact I believed that was appropriate but it seems Hansen just made that himself anyway. So he's drawn notice to himself before he's even started.

"I told to him before the game, 'Excellent players don't need justifications, they can get on with it and just be themselves, you can win the man of the match if you want,' and he responded, 'Yeah, I concur.'

"Therefore he's that type of player, he trains thoroughly, he's got a excellent approach to understand his detail and so that's why he slotted straight into the team and he was capable to perform naturally due to that."

Hansen's efforts also received commendation from the opposing manager, who stated he was the "standout Australian performer" on the evening.

"In my view he was super, his knowledge showed to the front," commented the ex- international coach.

"Regrettably, Mack was probably the best Australian performer on the pitch. He's got a great skillset and he's such a strong competitor."

Pressed about what makes the player a good option at the number 15 position, Farrell added: "Appearing in the center of the field is something that he does from the flank regardless, but I imagine he's better in place for that frequently.

"His aerial play was excellent, wasn't it? I thought we didn't get bored of executing the right thing and that was putting the possession back on them to gain territory.

"Why that was the correct thing to do is because it's the likes of Mackie who was securing the balls back, and other players, so [it's] quite satisfying."

Outside the star performer, there were multiple encouraging aspects for the coach.

Sam Prendergast was outstanding on his return to the fly-half position, the set piece and throw-in operated effectively and different teammate did not appear out of place in his first start in the forwards.

But possibly more pleasing for Farrell was the team framing the match with multiple impressive spells.

Hansen's first couple of scores occurred in the opening 11 minutes while other teammates registered in the final exchanges after the other team had scored, ensuring the home side finished on a high.

"In my opinion we truly let ourselves go and approached the match straight from the beginning," said the coach.

"The way we handled numerous aspects throughout the game, particularly them responding just before the break and reorganizing ourselves and giving a display like we did in the later stages, I thought as far as territory and being familiar with most of our strategy in that later period was truly satisfying."

The strength of the Springboks are next up for Ireland, in what might be considered as an informal conclusion to the previous season's drawn multiple match contest on rival territory.

The coach's side will need to attain another level to defeat the back-to-back world champions, but Saturday's victory of the Wallabies was a significant advancement in the right path after an disappointing beginning to their fall schedule.