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After their previous underwhelming showing against Japan, the head coach told his Ireland squad to step up their performance.

The team responded immediately.

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

However, facing Australia, they began strongly, with Mack Hansen excelling most prominently during a comprehensive triumph that represented the team's finest display this year.

Making his first test match appearance at full-back, the player scored a hat-trick, competed brilliantly for aerial challenges and performed outstandingly against the nation of his birth.

"You know, I've experienced a pretty challenging period with injuries honestly," Hansen stated.

"I longed for being in this squad, I know there's considerable discussion about me not necessarily being born here and I wasn't raised here, but I love this team and this feels like family.

"Any time I get to play for the national team it's a privilege, if you don't put in a performance you might not receive that privilege again.

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

Coach stated: 'Good athletes require no excuses'

After 28 appearances on the wing, the player was given the full-back position for the initial time with multiple teammates injured.

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

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

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

Farrell had suggested that Hansen was particularly motivated and these turned out to be not hollow statements as the ex- club player gave his coach a positive team dilemma for future matches.

"Well my initial reaction were, 'You better perform excellently in those different colored shoes!'," commented Farrell, alluding to the player's decision to sport different footwear.

"Actually I thought that was fitting but apparently Hansen just made that himself anyway. So he's attracted attention to himself before he's even begun.

"I said to him before the match, 'Excellent players don't need excuses, they can perform and just be themselves, you can get the man of the match if you choose,' and he went, 'Yeah, I agree.'

"So he's that kind of player, he prepares thoroughly, he's got a excellent approach to get across his detail and thus that's why he fitted right back in and he was able to be himself due to that."

Hansen's performance also earned praise from the rival manager, who remarked he was the "exceptional opposition performer" on the night.

"In my view he was super, his knowledge was evident to the fore," said the former international coach.

"Unfortunately, Mack was probably the best Australian performer on the field. He's got a great skillset and he's such a strong contender."

When asked about what enables Hansen a strong fit at full-back, Farrell added: "Appearing in the middle of the pitch is something that he does from the wing regardless, but I imagine he's more in place for that frequently.

"His high ball work was excellent, don't you think? I believed we didn't get bored of executing the correct thing and that was putting the possession back on them to secure territory.

"Why that was the correct strategy to do is because it's the players of Hansen who was securing the possessions returned, and additional teammates, so [it's] quite satisfying."

Outside Hansen, there were multiple positives for the coach.

Sam Prendergast was excellent on his return to the number 10 position, the scrum and throw-in functioned effectively and different teammate did not appear out of place in his debut appearance in the front row.

But possibly more satisfying for Farrell was the team framing the game with two impressive periods.

The player's first two tries occurred in the first eleven minutes while additional players registered in the closing exchanges after the opposition had scored, ensuring the Irish team concluded on a high.

"In my opinion we really let ourselves go and attacked the game right from the word go," stated Farrell.

"How we managed numerous elements throughout the game, particularly the opposition coming back just before half-time and reorganizing ourselves and giving a performance like we achieved in the second half, I believed as far as field position and being familiar with the majority of our game in that second half was really pleasing."

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

Farrell's team will require to attain a higher level to defeat the consecutive world champions, but Saturday's victory of the Wallabies was a significant advancement in the right direction after an uninspiring start to their autumn schedule.