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After their previous underwhelming performance against the Japanese team, Andy Farrell told his Irish squad to improve their game.

The team responded right away.

The Irish side had faded in the final stages against the All Blacks and taken considerable time to find their rhythm versus Japan.

Nevertheless, against the Wallabies, they began powerfully, with Mack Hansen excelling brightest during a 46-19 triumph that marked the team's finest performance this year.

Making his debut test match appearance at the number 15 position, Hansen registered a three tries, competed excellently for aerial challenges and performed outstandingly against the country of his origin.

"You know, I've experienced a fairly difficult period with fitness issues really," the athlete stated.

"I longed for being in this team, I know there's much talk about me not necessarily being raised here and I didn't grow up here, but I adore this team and this seems like home.

"Whenever I have to represent for Ireland it's a honor, if you don't put in a good showing you might not receive that opportunity again.

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

Coach declared: 'Good athletes require no justifications'

After 28 caps on the flank, Hansen was entrusted the number 15 role for the first time with multiple teammates injured.

In his case, it was essentially a matter of picking up where he finished during the summer.

The 28-year-old had been in superb form before injury ended his aspiration of making the Test team.

Having come back last month, he suffered a lower body injury that made him unavailable for previous fixtures.

The coach had suggested that the player was especially motivated and these turned out to be not hollow words as the ex- provincial player gave his manager a welcome team headache for upcoming games.

"So my first reaction were, 'You need to perform well in those two colored boots!'," commented Farrell, referring to Hansen's choice to sport different boots.

"In fact I thought that was fitting but it seems Hansen just did that personally regardless. So he's attracted attention to himself before he's even started.

"I told to him before the match, 'Good players don't need justifications, they can perform and just be themselves, you can get the player of the game if you want,' and he went, 'Yes, I concur.'

"Therefore he's that type of performer, he trains well, he's has a excellent approach to understand his preparation and thus that's why he slotted right into the team and he was capable to be himself due to that."

Hansen's performance also received commendation from the rival coach, who stated he was the "exceptional Australian performer" on the evening.

"I thought he was super, his experience showed to the fore," said the former national manager.

"Unfortunately, Mack was probably the best Australian player on the pitch. He's got a great skillset and he's such a strong competitor."

When asked about what enables Hansen a good option at full-back, Farrell added: "Showing up in the middle of the pitch is a trait that he does from the flank anyway, but I imagine he's more in position for that more often.

"His high ball work was excellent, wasn't it? I thought we didn't get bored of executing the correct approach and that was putting the possession back on them to secure territory.

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

Outside the star performer, there were numerous encouraging aspects for Farrell.

Sam Prendergast was excellent on his comeback to the fly-half jersey, the set piece and throw-in functioned effectively and another teammate did not look out of place in his first appearance in the front row.

But perhaps more satisfying for Farrell was the team framing the game with multiple impressive periods.

The player's initial couple of scores occurred in the first eleven minutes while additional players scored in the closing stages after the other team had scored, guaranteeing the Irish side concluded on a positive note.

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

"The way we managed numerous aspects throughout the match, especially them responding just before the break and reorganizing ourselves and giving a performance like we achieved in the later stages, I believed as far as territory and being across the majority of our strategy in that second half was really satisfying."

The strength of the Springboks are next up for the team, in what could be considered as an unofficial conclusion to the previous season's drawn multiple match series on opposition territory.

Farrell's side will need to attain a higher level to beat the back-to-back world champions, but Saturday's victory of the Wallabies was a significant advancement in the correct path after an disappointing start to their autumn campaign.