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

The team responded immediately.

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

Nevertheless, facing Australia, they started powerfully, with Mack Hansen excelling brightest during a comprehensive victory that represented Ireland's best performance this year.

In his first international start at the number 15 position, Hansen scored a three tries, competed excellently for high balls and played outstandingly against the nation of his origin.

"You know, I've experienced a fairly challenging period with injuries really," Hansen commented.

"I longed for being in this team, I understand there's much talk about me not necessarily being born here and I wasn't raised here, but I adore this team and this feels like family.

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

"My whole approach this period was to go out and do what I could do."

Coach declared: 'Excellent players require no excuses'

Following twenty-eight caps on the flank, the player was entrusted the full-back role for the first time with multiple players injured.

For him, it was simply a matter of continuing where he left off during the summer.

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

Having returned last month, he developed a lower body problem that ruled him out for earlier matches.

Farrell had suggested that the player was especially motivated and these turned out to be not hollow statements as the former provincial player gave his manager a positive team dilemma for upcoming games.

"So my first reaction were, 'You need to play excellently in those two colored boots!'," said the coach, referring to Hansen's decision to wear mismatched boots.

"In fact I believed that was appropriate but apparently Hansen just did that himself anyway. So he's drawn notice to himself before he's even begun.

"I told to him before the match, 'Good players don't need excuses, they can perform and just play naturally, you can win the man of the match if you want,' and he responded, 'Yeah, I agree.'

"So he's that type of performer, he trains well, he's got a excellent approach to understand his detail and thus that's why he slotted straight back in and he was capable to perform naturally due to that."

Hansen's performance also received commendation from the rival coach, who remarked he was the "standout opposition performer" on the evening.

"In my view he was outstanding, his knowledge was evident to the fore," said the ex- international coach.

"Unfortunately, Mack was likely the standout Australian player on the field. He's has a great ability and he's such a good competitor."

When asked about what enables the player a strong fit at full-back, Farrell added: "Showing up in the middle of the field is a trait that he demonstrates from the wing anyway, but I imagine he's better in position for that frequently.

"His high ball play was excellent, wasn't it? I thought we persisted of doing the correct approach and that was placing the ball back on them to secure territory.

"The reason that was the correct thing to do is because it's the players of Hansen who was getting the balls returned, and additional players, so [it's] quite pleasing."

Outside Hansen, there were numerous encouraging aspects for Farrell.

Another player was excellent on his comeback to the number 10 position, the set piece and throw-in operated smoothly and different player did not appear uncomfortable in his first start in the front row.

But possibly most satisfying for the manager was the team bookending the match with multiple impressive spells.

Hansen's first two tries occurred in the opening eleven minutes while additional players scored in the closing exchanges after the opposition had scored, ensuring the Irish side concluded on a positive note.

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

"The way we handled numerous aspects throughout the match, especially the opposition coming back just before the break and regathering ourselves and giving a performance like we did in the second half, I thought as far as field position and being across most of our game in that second half was truly pleasing."

The strength of South Africa are next up for Ireland, in what might be considered as an unofficial conclusion to the previous season's tied two-Test series on rival soil.

Farrell's team will need to attain a higher standard to beat the back-to-back title holders, but the recent defeat of the Australian team was a important advancement in the correct direction after an uninspiring beginning to their fall campaign.