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

The team listened immediately.

Ireland had faded in the final stages against the All Blacks and required considerable time to find their rhythm versus Japan.

Nevertheless, against Australia, they started strongly, with the talented back shining most prominently during a comprehensive triumph that marked Ireland's finest display this year.

In his first international start at full-back, Hansen scored a hat-trick, contested brilliantly for high balls and performed exceptionally against the country of his origin.

"Look, I've had a pretty challenging run with injuries honestly," Hansen stated.

"I longed for 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 adore this team and this feels like home.

"Any time I have to play for the national team it's a privilege, if you don't put in a good showing you may not receive that opportunity again.

"My entire approach this period was to take the field and perform what I could do."

Manager stated: 'Good athletes don't need excuses'

Following 28 caps on the flank, the player was given the number 15 position for the first time with several 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 dream of joining the Test squad.

Having returned last month, he suffered a foot injury that ruled him out for previous matches.

The coach had suggested that the player was especially motivated and these turned out to be not empty statements as the former club player gave his manager a positive team dilemma for future matches.

"Well my initial reaction were, 'You need to play well in those different colored shoes!'," said Farrell, alluding to the player's decision to wear different boots.

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

"I told to him before the match, 'Excellent players don't need excuses, they can get on with it and just play naturally, you can win the man of the match if you want,' and he responded, 'Yes, I agree.'

"Therefore he's that kind of player, he prepares well, he's got a excellent attitude to get across his detail and thus that's why he fitted right into the team and he was able to be himself because of that."

The player's performance also received commendation from the opposing manager, who stated he was the "exceptional Australian player" on the night.

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

"Unfortunately, Mack was probably the best opposition player on the pitch. He's has a excellent ability and he's such a good competitor."

Pressed about what makes the player a strong option at full-back, the coach continued: "Showing up in the center of the pitch is a trait that he does from the flank regardless, but I suppose he's better in position for that frequently.

"His high ball work was brilliant, wasn't it? I believed we didn't get bored of executing the correct approach and that was placing the possession again on them to secure field position.

"The reason that was the correct strategy to do is since it's the likes of Hansen who was securing the possessions returned, and other teammates, so [it's] pretty pleasing."

Outside Hansen, there were multiple encouraging aspects for Farrell.

Another player was excellent on his comeback to the fly-half position, the set piece and line-out operated smoothly and another teammate did not look out of place in his debut appearance in the front row.

But possibly most satisfying for the manager was the team framing the game with two impressive periods.

The player's initial two tries occurred in the opening 11 moments while other players registered in the closing exchanges after the opposition had crossed, guaranteeing the Irish team finished on a high.

"I thought we really performed freely and approached the game right from the beginning," stated Farrell.

"The way we managed numerous aspects during the game, particularly them responding just before half-time and reorganizing ourselves and producing a display like we did in the second half, I believed as far as territory and being familiar with the majority of our game in that second half was really satisfying."

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

Farrell's team will require to attain a higher level to defeat the consecutive world champions, but the recent defeat of the Australian team was a important advancement in the correct path after an disappointing beginning to their autumn campaign.