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Following their previous disappointing performance against the Japanese team, the head coach told his Ireland squad to step up their performance.

Ireland responded immediately.

Ireland had faded in the final stages against New Zealand and required most of the match to find their rhythm versus their Asian opponents.

Nevertheless, against Australia, they began powerfully, with the talented back shining most prominently during a 46-19 triumph that marked the team's best performance this year.

Making his first test match appearance at full-back, the player registered a three tries, competed brilliantly for high balls and played outstandingly against the nation of his birth.

"Look, I've had a pretty difficult period with fitness issues really," Hansen stated.

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

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

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

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

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

For him, it was essentially a matter of picking up where he left off during the summer.

The experienced player had been in excellent form before physical issues disrupted his aspiration of making the Test squad.

After come back recently, he suffered a lower body injury that made him unavailable for earlier fixtures.

Farrell had indicated that the player was especially motivated and these proved not empty words as the former club player gave his coach a welcome team dilemma for future games.

"Well my first thoughts were, 'You better perform excellently in those two coloured shoes!'," said the coach, referring to the player's decision to sport mismatched boots.

"Actually I believed that was appropriate but apparently Hansen just did that personally anyway. So he's drawn notice to himself before he's even started.

"I said to him before the match, 'Excellent athletes don't need excuses, they can get on with it and just be themselves, you can win the player of the game if you want,' and he went, 'Yeah, I agree.'

"So he's that kind of performer, he trains well, he's got a excellent attitude to get across his preparation and thus that's why he slotted right into the team and he was capable to perform naturally due to that."

Hansen's efforts also earned praise from the rival manager, who stated he was the "exceptional opposition player" on the evening.

"In my view he was super, his knowledge was evident to the front," said the ex- international manager.

"Regrettably, Mack was likely the standout Australian performer on the pitch. He's got a excellent skillset and he's such a good competitor."

Pressed about what makes Hansen a good fit at full-back, the coach added: "Appearing in the center of the field is something that he does from the flank regardless, but I imagine he's more in place for that frequently.

"The player's aerial play was brilliant, wasn't it? I believed we persisted of doing the right thing and that was putting the ball back on them to secure territory.

"Why that was the right thing to do is because it's the likes of Hansen who was getting the balls back, and additional players, so [it's] quite pleasing."

Outside Hansen, there were numerous positives for the coach.

Another player was excellent on his comeback to the number 10 jersey, the scrum and line-out operated smoothly and another teammate did not look uncomfortable in his debut appearance in the forwards.

But possibly more pleasing for the manager was the team bookending the game with multiple impressive periods.

Hansen's first two scores came in the first eleven minutes while other teammates registered in the closing exchanges after the other team had scored, ensuring the Irish team concluded on a positive note.

"In my opinion we truly let ourselves go and approached the match straight from the word go," stated Farrell.

"The way we handled various aspects throughout the match, particularly them coming back just before the break and regathering ourselves and giving a performance like we did in the second half, I thought as far as territory and being familiar with most of our game in that second half was really pleasing."

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

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