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Following their previous underwhelming showing against Japan, Andy Farrell told his Ireland team to step up their performance.

Ireland listened right away.

Ireland had struggled in the final stages against the All Blacks and taken most of the match to get going versus their Asian opponents.

Nevertheless, facing the Wallabies, they began strongly, with the talented back shining brightest during a comprehensive victory that marked Ireland's finest performance of the season.

Making his first international start at the number 15 position, the player scored a hat-trick, competed brilliantly for aerial challenges and played outstandingly against the nation of his origin.

"Look, I've experienced a pretty difficult run with injuries really," Hansen stated.

"I missed being in this squad, I understand there's much talk about me not necessarily being raised here and I wasn't raised 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 performance you might not get that opportunity again.

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

Coach declared: 'Excellent players don't need excuses'

After twenty-eight appearances on the flank, Hansen was entrusted the full-back role for the initial time with multiple players injured.

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

The experienced player had been in superb condition before injury disrupted his aspiration of making the Test team.

Having returned recently, he developed a lower body injury that ruled him out for previous matches.

Farrell had suggested that the player was particularly determined and these turned out to be not empty statements as the ex- provincial player gave his coach a positive selection headache for upcoming matches.

"So my initial reaction were, 'You need to play excellently in those different colored shoes!'," commented the coach, alluding to the player's choice to sport different footwear.

"Actually I thought that was fitting but it seems Mack just did that himself regardless. So he's attracted attention to himself before he's even begun.

"I told to him before the game, 'Good athletes don't need excuses, they can get on with it and just be themselves, you can get the man of the match if you want,' and he went, 'Yeah, I concur.'

"Therefore he's that kind of player, he prepares thoroughly, he's got a great approach to get across his detail and thus that's why he slotted right into the team and he was able to be himself due to that."

Hansen's efforts also earned praise from the opposing coach, who stated he was the "exceptional opposition performer" on the evening.

"I thought he was outstanding, his experience was evident to the front," commented the ex- international manager.

"Unfortunately, Hansen was probably the standout opposition player on the field. He's has a excellent skillset and he's such a good competitor."

When asked about what enables Hansen a good fit at full-back, the coach continued: "Showing up in the center of the pitch is a trait that he does from the wing anyway, but I imagine he's more in place for that more often.

"His aerial work was excellent, wasn't it? I believed we persisted of doing the correct thing and that was putting the ball back on them to gain territory.

"Why that was the right strategy to do is since it's the players of Hansen who was securing the possessions returned, and other teammates, so [it's] pretty satisfying."

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

Sam Prendergast was outstanding on his comeback to the number 10 jersey, the scrum and throw-in operated effectively and different teammate did not look uncomfortable in his first appearance in the front row.

But perhaps more pleasing for the manager was the team framing the game with two strong spells.

The player's first two tries occurred in the opening eleven minutes while other teammates scored in the closing stages after the opposition had scored, ensuring the Irish team finished on a high.

"I thought we really performed freely and attacked the match straight from the beginning," said Farrell.

"How we handled numerous elements during the match, particularly them coming back just before the break and reorganizing ourselves and producing a performance like we did in the later stages, I thought as far as field position and being across the majority of our strategy in that second half was really pleasing."

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

Farrell's team will need to reach another standard to beat the consecutive world champions, but the recent defeat of the Australian team was a significant step in the right path after an disappointing beginning to their autumn campaign.