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After last week's disappointing showing against Japan, Andy Farrell challenged his Irish team to step up their performance.

The team listened immediately.

The Irish side had faded in the final stages against the All Blacks and required most of the match to get going versus their Asian opponents.

Nevertheless, against Australia, they began strongly, with Mack Hansen excelling most prominently during a comprehensive victory that represented the team's finest performance this year.

In his debut test match appearance at full-back, the player registered a three tries, contested brilliantly for high balls and performed outstandingly against the nation of his birth.

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

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

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

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

Manager declared: 'Good players require no justifications'

After 28 caps on the wing, Hansen was entrusted the full-back position for the first time with multiple players injured.

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

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

After returned recently, he suffered a foot injury that made him unavailable for previous fixtures.

The coach had indicated that Hansen was especially motivated and these proved not hollow statements as the ex- club player gave his coach a welcome selection headache for future matches.

"Well my first thoughts were, 'You need to play excellently in those different coloured shoes!'," commented the coach, referring to the player's decision to wear different footwear.

"In fact I thought that was fitting but apparently Mack just made that personally anyway. So he's drawn attention to himself before he's even started.

"I told to him before the match, 'Excellent players require no excuses, they can get on with it and just be themselves, you can win the man of the match if you choose,' and he responded, 'Yes, I concur.'

"Therefore he's that kind of performer, he trains well, he's got a great attitude to understand his detail and so that's why he slotted right back in and he was capable to be himself due to that."

Hansen's efforts also earned praise from the rival manager, who remarked he was the "standout opposition performer" on the evening.

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

"Unfortunately, Mack was probably the standout opposition player on the pitch. He's got a excellent skillset and he's such a good competitor."

Pressed about what enables Hansen a strong fit at full-back, the coach continued: "Appearing in the center of the pitch is a trait that he demonstrates from the wing anyway, but I suppose he's better in place for that frequently.

"The player's high ball work was excellent, wasn't it? I believed we persisted of doing the right thing and that was putting the ball back on them to gain field position.

"The reason that was the right strategy to do is because it's the players of Hansen who was getting the balls returned, and additional teammates, so [it's] quite pleasing."

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

Another player was outstanding on his return to the fly-half jersey, the scrum and line-out operated effectively and another teammate did not appear uncomfortable in his first start in the forwards.

But possibly more pleasing for the manager was the team bookending the game with two impressive spells.

The player's initial couple of scores came in the opening 11 minutes while additional teammates registered in the final stages after the other team had scored, guaranteeing the Irish team concluded on a high.

"In my opinion we truly performed freely and approached the match straight from the beginning," said the coach.

"The way we managed numerous aspects during the game, especially the opposition coming back just before half-time and regathering ourselves and giving a performance like we achieved in the later stages, I believed as far as field position and being across most of our strategy in that later period was truly pleasing."

The might of the Springboks are awaiting for Ireland, in what might be considered as an informal conclusion to last year's drawn multiple match series on rival soil.

The coach's team will require to attain a higher level to beat the back-to-back world champions, but Saturday's victory of the Australian team was a important advancement in the correct path after an uninspiring start to their autumn schedule.