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Following last week's underwhelming showing against Japan, the head coach told his Ireland squad to improve their performance.

The team listened immediately.

The Irish side had faded late against New Zealand and taken most of the match to find their rhythm versus their Asian opponents.

However, facing the Wallabies, they started strongly, with Mack Hansen shining most prominently during a comprehensive victory that marked the team's finest performance of the season.

Making his debut test match appearance at full-back, Hansen scored a three tries, contested excellently for aerial challenges and performed exceptionally against the nation of his birth.

"Look, I've had a pretty difficult run with injuries really," the athlete commented.

"I missed being in this team, I understand there's much discussion about me not necessarily being raised here and I didn't grow up here, but I love this group and this feels like family.

"Whenever I have to play for the national team it's a privilege, if you fail to deliver a good showing you might not get that opportunity again.

"My entire focus this period was to go out and do what I could do."

Manager declared: 'Good players don't need excuses'

After twenty-eight appearances on the wing, the player was given the full-back position for the first time with multiple teammates unavailable.

For him, it was essentially 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 squad.

After returned last month, he suffered a lower body problem that made him unavailable for earlier matches.

The coach had indicated that Hansen was particularly motivated and these turned out to be not hollow words as the ex- club player gave his coach a positive selection headache for future matches.

"Well my initial thoughts were, 'You need to play excellently in those different coloured shoes!'," said Farrell, referring to Hansen's choice to sport different footwear.

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

"I told to him before the game, 'Excellent athletes don't need justifications, they can perform and just play naturally, you can win the player of the game if you want,' and he responded, 'Yeah, I agree.'

"Therefore he's that kind of player, he trains thoroughly, he's got a great approach to get across his preparation and so that's why he slotted straight into the team and he was able to perform naturally because of that."

Hansen's efforts also earned commendation from the opposing manager, who stated he was the "exceptional opposition player" on the night.

"I thought he was outstanding, his knowledge showed to the front," said the ex- national coach.

"Regrettably, Mack was likely the standout Australian player on the field. He's got a excellent ability and he's such a strong competitor."

When asked about what makes Hansen a strong option at full-back, the coach continued: "Showing up in the middle of the field is a trait that he does from the flank anyway, but I suppose he's better in place for that more often.

"The player's high ball work was brilliant, wasn't it? I believed we persisted of executing the correct thing and that was putting the possession back on them to secure field position.

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

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

Another player was excellent on his return to the number 10 position, the scrum and throw-in operated smoothly and another player did not appear uncomfortable in his debut appearance in the front row.

But perhaps most satisfying for the manager was the team framing the game with multiple impressive periods.

The player's initial couple of scores came in the first eleven moments while additional players registered in the closing exchanges after the opposition had scored, guaranteeing the Irish side finished on a positive note.

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

"How we handled numerous aspects throughout the match, particularly them coming back just before the break and reorganizing 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 game in that second half was really satisfying."

The might of the Springboks are awaiting for Ireland, in what might be viewed as an informal decider to the previous season's drawn multiple match series on opposition territory.

The coach's team will need to reach a higher standard to beat the consecutive title holders, but Saturday's defeat of the Australian team was a important step in the correct direction after an disappointing beginning to their fall campaign.