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After their previous underwhelming showing against the Japanese team, Andy Farrell challenged his Irish team to improve their performance.

Ireland listened immediately.

The Irish side had faded late against New Zealand and taken most of the match to get going versus Japan.

However, facing Australia, they began powerfully, with Mack Hansen shining most prominently during a comprehensive victory that marked Ireland's finest display this year.

Making his debut test match start at full-back, Hansen scored a hat-trick, contested excellently for high balls and performed outstandingly against the nation of his birth.

"You know, I've had a pretty difficult period with fitness issues really," Hansen stated.

"I missed being in this team, I understand there's much talk about me not exactly being born 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 the national team it's a privilege, if you fail to deliver a good showing you may not receive that opportunity again.

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

Manager stated: 'Excellent players don't need excuses'

After 28 caps on the flank, the player was entrusted the number 15 position for the first time with multiple players unavailable.

In his case, it was essentially a matter of picking up where he left off during the summer.

The experienced player had been in excellent form before injury ended his dream of making the Test squad.

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

The coach had indicated that the player was particularly motivated and these turned out to be not empty statements as the ex- provincial player gave his coach a welcome selection dilemma for upcoming games.

"So my first thoughts were, 'You need to perform well in those different colored boots!'," commented Farrell, referring to Hansen's decision to sport different boots.

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

"I said to him before the game, 'Good players don't need justifications, they can get on with it and just play naturally, you can get the man of the match if you choose,' and he went, 'Yeah, I agree.'

"Therefore he's that type of performer, he trains well, he's got a great attitude to understand his detail and so that's why he slotted right back in and he was capable to perform naturally due to that."

The player's efforts also earned commendation from the opposing coach, who remarked he was the "exceptional opposition performer" on the night.

"I thought he was outstanding, his experience was evident to the fore," commented the former international manager.

"Regrettably, Hansen was likely the standout Australian player on the pitch. He's got a great ability and he's such a good competitor."

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

"The player's high ball work was excellent, don't you think? I thought we didn't get bored of executing the correct approach and that was placing the ball again on them to secure territory.

"Why that was the right thing to do is since it's the players of Hansen who was getting the possessions returned, and additional players, so [it's] quite satisfying."

Outside the star performer, there were multiple positives for Farrell.

Sam Prendergast was outstanding on his return to the fly-half jersey, the scrum and throw-in operated effectively and different player did not appear uncomfortable in his first appearance in the front row.

But perhaps more pleasing for Farrell was the team framing the match with two impressive periods.

The player's first two scores occurred in the opening eleven moments while additional players scored in the closing exchanges after the other team had scored, guaranteeing the Irish team concluded on a positive note.

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

"The way we handled numerous aspects throughout the game, especially them responding just before half-time and reorganizing ourselves and giving a performance like we did in the later stages, I believed as far as territory and being familiar with most of our strategy in that second half was truly satisfying."

The might of South Africa are next up for the team, in what could be considered as an unofficial decider to last year's tied multiple match contest on rival soil.

Farrell's team will require to reach a higher standard to beat the consecutive title holders, but Saturday's defeat of the Australian team was a important advancement in the right direction after an disappointing beginning to their fall campaign.