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After last week's disappointing showing against the Japanese team, Andy Farrell told his Ireland team to step up their performance.

The team listened immediately.

Ireland had faded late against the All Blacks and taken most of the match to find their rhythm versus their Asian opponents.

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

Making his first international appearance at the number 15 position, Hansen scored a three tries, contested brilliantly for aerial challenges and played exceptionally against the country of his origin.

"You know, I've experienced a fairly challenging period with fitness issues honestly," Hansen stated.

"I missed being in this squad, I know there's considerable talk about me not necessarily being raised here and I wasn't raised here, but I adore this team and this feels like home.

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

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

Manager declared: 'Good athletes require no excuses'

Following 28 appearances on the flank, the player was entrusted the number 15 position for the initial time with several players unavailable.

For him, it was essentially a matter of continuing where he finished during the summer.

The experienced player had been in excellent form before physical issues ended his aspiration of joining the Test team.

After returned recently, he developed a lower body injury that made him unavailable for earlier fixtures.

The coach had suggested that the player was especially determined and these turned out to be not hollow words as the former provincial player gave his coach a positive selection dilemma for future games.

"Well my initial thoughts were, 'You better perform excellently in those two colored boots!'," said the coach, referring to Hansen's choice to sport mismatched footwear.

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

"I said to him before the match, 'Good athletes require no excuses, they can get on with it and just be themselves, you can get the man of the match if you want,' and he responded, 'Yeah, I concur.'

"Therefore he's that kind of player, he prepares thoroughly, he's has a great attitude to understand his detail and thus that's why he slotted straight back in and he was capable to be himself due to that."

Hansen's efforts also earned praise from the opposing manager, who remarked he was the "exceptional opposition player" on the night.

"In my view he was outstanding, his knowledge showed to the front," said the former national coach.

"Unfortunately, Mack was probably the best opposition player on the field. He's has a great ability and he's such a good contender."

When asked about what makes Hansen a good option at the number 15 position, the coach added: "Showing up in the middle of the field is something that he demonstrates from the wing regardless, but I suppose he's better in position for that more often.

"His high ball play was excellent, wasn't it? I believed we persisted of doing the correct thing and that was putting the possession back on them to gain territory.

"Why that was the right strategy to do is because it's the likes of Mackie who was securing the possessions returned, and other players, so [it's] pretty pleasing."

Outside Hansen, there were multiple positives for the coach.

Another player was outstanding on his return to the number 10 jersey, the scrum and line-out operated smoothly and different player did not appear out of place in his debut start in the forwards.

But perhaps most satisfying for Farrell was the team bookending the game with two impressive spells.

The player's initial couple of tries occurred in the first 11 minutes while additional teammates registered in the closing exchanges after the other team had scored, guaranteeing the home side concluded on a high.

"I thought we truly let ourselves go and approached the game straight from the beginning," said Farrell.

"How we managed numerous elements during the game, especially the opposition responding just before half-time and regathering ourselves and giving a performance like we did in the later stages, I thought as far as field position and being familiar with the majority of our strategy in that second half was really satisfying."

The might of South Africa are awaiting for the team, in what could be considered as an informal decider to last year's tied two-Test series on rival soil.

The coach's side will require 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 path after an uninspiring beginning to their fall schedule.