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After their previous underwhelming performance against the Japanese team, Andy Farrell challenged his Ireland team to step up their performance.

The team responded right away.

The Irish side had struggled late against the All Blacks and taken considerable time to find their rhythm versus Japan.

Nevertheless, against the Wallabies, they started strongly, with the talented back excelling most prominently during a comprehensive triumph that marked Ireland's best display of the season.

Making his first international start at full-back, the player registered a hat-trick, contested excellently for aerial challenges and performed exceptionally against the country of his birth.

"Look, I've experienced a fairly challenging period with fitness issues honestly," Hansen commented.

"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 love this team and this feels like home.

"Any time I get to play for the national team it's a honor, if you fail to deliver a performance you may not get that opportunity again.

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

Coach declared: 'Excellent players don't need excuses'

After 28 appearances on the wing, Hansen was given the number 15 position for the first time with several teammates unavailable.

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

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

Having come back recently, he developed a foot injury that made him unavailable for previous matches.

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

"Well my first thoughts were, 'You need to play excellently in those different colored shoes!'," said Farrell, referring to Hansen's choice to sport mismatched footwear.

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

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

"Therefore he's that type of performer, he prepares thoroughly, he's got a great approach to get across his preparation and thus that's why he slotted right back in and he was able to be himself due to that."

The player's performance also earned commendation from the opposing manager, who remarked he was the "standout opposition performer" on the night.

"I thought he was outstanding, his experience showed to the fore," commented the ex- national manager.

"Regrettably, Hansen was probably the standout Australian player on the field. He's has a great ability and he's such a strong contender."

Pressed about what enables Hansen a strong option at full-back, the coach added: "Showing up in the middle of the pitch is a trait that he demonstrates from the flank regardless, but I suppose he's more in place for that frequently.

"His high ball work was brilliant, wasn't it? I believed we didn't get bored of doing the right approach and that was putting the ball back on them to secure territory.

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

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

Sam Prendergast was outstanding on his return to the fly-half position, the scrum and throw-in functioned effectively and another teammate did not look out of place in his debut start in the forwards.

But perhaps more satisfying for the manager was the team framing the match with two impressive periods.

Hansen's first couple of scores occurred in the first eleven moments while additional players registered in the closing exchanges after the other team had scored, ensuring the Irish side finished on a high.

"In my opinion we really performed freely and approached the game straight from the word go," said Farrell.

"The way we handled various elements throughout the match, particularly them responding just before half-time and reorganizing ourselves and giving a performance like we did in the second half, I believed as far as field position and being familiar with most of our strategy in that second half was truly pleasing."

The might of South Africa are awaiting for Ireland, in what might be considered as an informal decider to last year's tied two-Test contest on opposition soil.

The coach's side will require to reach a higher level to beat the consecutive 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 campaign.