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After last week's underwhelming showing against Japan, the head coach challenged his Ireland squad to improve their game.

Ireland responded immediately.

The Irish side had struggled late against New Zealand and required most of the match to find their rhythm versus Japan.

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

Making his first test match start at full-back, the player registered a three tries, competed brilliantly for aerial challenges and played outstandingly against the country of his birth.

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

"I missed being in this squad, I understand 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 home.

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

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

Coach stated: 'Good players require no justifications'

Following twenty-eight caps on the flank, the player was given the number 15 role for the initial time with several teammates unavailable.

In his case, it was essentially a matter of continuing where he finished during the warmer months.

The 28-year-old had been in superb form before injury disrupted his dream of joining the international squad.

After come back last month, he suffered a foot problem that made him unavailable for previous matches.

Farrell had suggested that the player was especially motivated and these turned out to be not empty statements as the former provincial player gave his manager a welcome team headache for future matches.

"So my initial reaction were, 'You need to play well in those different coloured shoes!'," commented Farrell, alluding to the player's decision to wear mismatched boots.

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

"I said to him before the match, 'Good players require no excuses, they can perform and just be themselves, you can get the player of the game if you want,' and he went, 'Yeah, I agree.'

"Therefore he's that kind of player, he trains thoroughly, he's got a great approach to get across his detail and so that's why he fitted right back in and he was capable to perform naturally due to that."

Hansen's performance also earned praise from the opposing coach, who remarked he was the "standout Australian player" on the evening.

"In my view he was super, his experience was evident to the fore," said the former national manager.

"Unfortunately, Mack was likely the best opposition player on the field. He's got a great ability and he's such a strong contender."

Pressed about what makes Hansen a good fit at the number 15 position, Farrell continued: "Appearing in the center of the pitch is a trait that he does from the wing anyway, but I imagine he's better in place for that frequently.

"The player's high ball work was excellent, wasn't it? I believed we persisted of doing the correct approach and that was placing the possession again on them to secure field position.

"The reason that was the right strategy to do is since it's the likes of Mackie who was getting the possessions back, and additional players, so [it's] quite satisfying."

Outside Hansen, there were multiple positives for the coach.

Another player was excellent on his return to the fly-half jersey, the set piece and line-out functioned smoothly and another teammate did not appear uncomfortable in his first start in the forwards.

But possibly most satisfying for Farrell was the team framing the match with two strong periods.

The player's first couple of scores occurred in the first eleven moments while other teammates scored in the closing exchanges after the other team had scored, guaranteeing the home side concluded on a high.

"In my opinion we really performed freely and approached the game right from the word go," stated the coach.

"The way we handled numerous aspects during the match, particularly them responding just before half-time and reorganizing ourselves and producing a display like we did in the later stages, I believed as far as territory and being familiar with most of our game in that second half was truly pleasing."

The might of South Africa are awaiting for the team, in what might be viewed as an informal decider to the previous season's drawn multiple match series on opposition territory.

The coach's team will require to attain another level to beat the back-to-back title holders, but Saturday's victory of the Australian team was a significant advancement in the right direction after an uninspiring beginning to their autumn schedule.