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Following last week's underwhelming showing against Japan, Andy Farrell challenged his Irish squad to step up their performance.

Ireland responded right away.

Ireland had struggled in the final stages against New Zealand and taken considerable time to find their rhythm versus their Asian opponents.

However, facing the Wallabies, they started powerfully, with the talented back excelling most prominently during a 46-19 triumph that marked the team's best performance this year.

In his debut international start at the number 15 position, Hansen scored a three tries, contested excellently for aerial challenges and played exceptionally against the country of his birth.

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

"I missed being in this team, I know there's much discussion about me not necessarily being raised here and I wasn't raised here, but I adore this team and this seems like home.

"Whenever I get to play for Ireland it's a privilege, if you don't put in a good showing you may not receive that opportunity again.

"My whole approach this week was to go out and do what I could do."

Manager declared: 'Good players require no excuses'

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

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

The experienced player had been in superb form before injury ended his aspiration of joining the Test squad.

Having returned last month, he developed a foot problem that made him unavailable for earlier fixtures.

Farrell had suggested that the player was especially motivated and these proved not hollow words as the former club player gave his manager a positive team dilemma for upcoming matches.

"So my initial reaction were, 'You better perform excellently in those different coloured boots!'," said the coach, alluding to Hansen's choice to wear mismatched footwear.

"In fact I believed that was fitting but apparently Mack just did that himself regardless. So he's drawn attention to himself before he's even begun.

"I said to him before the match, 'Excellent players require no justifications, they can get on with it and just be themselves, you can win the player of the game if you choose,' and he went, 'Yes, I concur.'

"So he's that type of player, he trains thoroughly, he's has a excellent approach to get across his detail and thus that's why he slotted straight into the team and he was able to perform naturally due to that."

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

"In my view he was outstanding, his knowledge was evident to the front," said the ex- national coach.

"Unfortunately, Hansen was likely the best Australian performer on the field. He's got a excellent skillset and he's such a good competitor."

Pressed about what enables the player a strong option at the number 15 position, the coach continued: "Appearing in the center of the pitch is something that he does from the wing anyway, but I imagine he's more in position for that frequently.

"The player's high ball work was excellent, don't you think? I thought we persisted of executing the correct thing and that was putting the possession back on them to secure territory.

"Why that was the correct thing to do is since it's the likes of Hansen who was getting the balls returned, and additional teammates, so [it's] quite satisfying."

Outside Hansen, there were numerous positives for the coach.

Sam Prendergast was outstanding on his return to the number 10 position, the set piece and throw-in functioned effectively and another player did not appear uncomfortable in his first appearance in the forwards.

But possibly more satisfying for Farrell was the team bookending the match with multiple strong spells.

Hansen's initial couple of scores came in the first eleven minutes while additional players scored in the closing stages after the opposition had crossed, ensuring the home team finished on a positive note.

"In my opinion we truly performed freely and attacked the match straight from the beginning," stated Farrell.

"How we managed numerous aspects during the match, particularly them responding just before half-time and reorganizing ourselves and giving a performance like we achieved in the later stages, I believed as far as territory and being across most of our strategy in that second half was truly satisfying."

The might of the Springboks are awaiting for the team, in what might be viewed as an unofficial conclusion to last year's tied multiple match series on opposition soil.

The coach's team will need to reach a higher level to defeat the consecutive title holders, but the recent victory of the Australian team was a important advancement in the right direction after an uninspiring beginning to their autumn campaign.