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

The team responded right away.

Ireland had faded in the final stages against the All Blacks and taken considerable time to get going versus their Asian opponents.

However, facing the Wallabies, they started powerfully, with Mack Hansen excelling brightest during a comprehensive victory that represented the team's best display this year.

Making his debut international appearance at full-back, Hansen registered a hat-trick, competed excellently for high balls and performed outstandingly against the country of his birth.

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

"I missed being in this squad, I know there's considerable discussion about me not exactly being raised here and I didn't grow up here, but I adore this group and this feels like family.

"Any time I have to play for Ireland it's a honor, if you don't put in a good showing you may not get that opportunity again.

"My entire focus this period was to take the field and perform what I could do."

Coach declared: 'Excellent players require no justifications'

After twenty-eight appearances on the flank, Hansen was given the number 15 position for the first time with multiple teammates unavailable.

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

The experienced player had been in superb form before injury disrupted his dream of making the Test team.

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

Farrell had indicated that Hansen was especially determined and these turned out to be not empty statements as the former club player gave his coach a welcome team dilemma for upcoming matches.

"So my initial reaction were, 'You better perform well in those two coloured boots!'," commented the coach, referring to the player's choice to sport mismatched footwear.

"Actually I thought that was appropriate but it seems Hansen just made that himself anyway. So he's attracted attention to himself before he's even started.

"I said to him before the game, 'Good athletes don't need justifications, they can perform and just play naturally, you can get the man of the match if you choose,' and he responded, 'Yes, I agree.'

"So he's that type of player, he trains well, he's got a excellent attitude to get across his detail and thus that's why he slotted right back in and he was capable to be himself because of that."

The player's performance also earned praise from the opposing coach, who stated he was the "standout Australian player" on the night.

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

"Unfortunately, Mack was probably the best opposition player on the pitch. He's has a excellent ability and he's such a strong competitor."

Pressed about what makes the player a strong option at full-back, the coach continued: "Showing up in the center of the field is a trait that he demonstrates from the wing anyway, but I imagine he's better in place for that more often.

"His high ball play was excellent, don't you think? I believed we didn't get bored of executing the correct approach and that was placing the possession again on them to gain territory.

"Why that was the correct thing to do is since it's the likes of Mackie who was securing the possessions returned, and other teammates, so [it's] pretty satisfying."

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

Another player was excellent on his comeback to the fly-half position, the scrum and line-out functioned smoothly and different player did not look uncomfortable in his first start in the forwards.

But perhaps more satisfying for the manager was the team bookending the game with two impressive spells.

Hansen's first two scores came in the opening 11 moments while additional players scored in the final exchanges after the other team had scored, guaranteeing the Irish side finished on a positive note.

"I thought we truly let ourselves go and attacked the game right from the word go," stated the coach.

"How we handled numerous elements throughout the match, particularly them coming back just before half-time and reorganizing ourselves and giving a performance like we did in the second half, I believed as far as territory and being across most of our game in that second half was really pleasing."

The strength of South Africa are next up for the team, in what could be viewed as an unofficial decider to the previous season's drawn two-Test series on rival soil.

The coach's team will need to reach another level to beat the back-to-back world champions, but Saturday's defeat of the Australian team was a significant advancement in the right path after an disappointing beginning to their autumn schedule.