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Following last week's underwhelming performance against Japan, Andy Farrell told his Irish squad to improve their performance.

Ireland listened immediately.

Ireland had faded late against New Zealand and taken considerable time to get going versus Japan.

However, against the Wallabies, they began strongly, with Mack Hansen excelling most prominently during a comprehensive triumph that marked the team's finest display of the season.

In his debut international appearance at full-back, Hansen registered a three tries, competed excellently for aerial challenges and performed exceptionally against the country of his birth.

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

"I missed being in this team, I know there's considerable discussion about me not necessarily being raised here and I didn't grow up here, but I love this group and this seems like home.

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

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

Coach declared: 'Excellent players require no excuses'

Following 28 caps on the flank, Hansen was given the number 15 role for the initial time with multiple teammates unavailable.

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

The experienced player had been in superb condition before injury ended his aspiration of making the Test squad.

After returned recently, he suffered a foot problem that made him unavailable for previous matches.

The coach had suggested that Hansen was particularly determined and these proved not empty statements as the former provincial player gave his coach a welcome selection dilemma for upcoming games.

"So my first reaction were, 'You need to perform excellently in those different coloured boots!'," commented the coach, referring to the player's decision to sport different footwear.

"Actually I thought that was appropriate but apparently Hansen just made that personally anyway. 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 get on with it and just play naturally, you can get the man of the match if you want,' and he responded, 'Yes, I agree.'

"Therefore he's that kind of performer, he trains well, he's got a great approach to understand his detail and so that's why he fitted right into the team and he was able to perform naturally because of that."

Hansen's efforts also earned praise from the opposing manager, who remarked he was the "exceptional opposition performer" on the night.

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

"Unfortunately, Hansen was probably the standout Australian player on the pitch. He's got a excellent skillset and he's such a good competitor."

Pressed about what makes the player a strong fit at full-back, Farrell continued: "Showing up in the center of the pitch is something that he demonstrates from the wing regardless, but I imagine he's more in position for that more often.

"The player's aerial work was brilliant, don't you think? I thought we persisted of doing the right thing and that was putting the ball again on them to gain territory.

"Why that was the correct strategy to do is because it's the players of Hansen who was securing the possessions returned, and other teammates, so [it's] pretty satisfying."

Beyond Hansen, there were multiple positives for the coach.

Sam Prendergast was outstanding on his return to the number 10 position, the set piece and line-out functioned smoothly and different player did not appear out of place in his first appearance in the forwards.

But perhaps most pleasing for Farrell was the team bookending the game with two impressive spells.

The player's initial two scores occurred in the first eleven minutes while other teammates scored in the final exchanges after the opposition had scored, ensuring the Irish side concluded on a positive note.

"I thought we truly performed freely and approached the game right from the word go," said the coach.

"The way we handled numerous elements during the match, particularly the opposition coming back just before half-time and regathering ourselves and producing a performance like we achieved in the later stages, I thought as far as field position and being across the majority of our strategy in that later period was really satisfying."

The strength of the Springboks are next up for the team, in what might be considered as an informal conclusion to last year's drawn multiple match series on rival soil.

The coach's team will need to reach another standard to beat the back-to-back world champions, but Saturday's defeat of the Australian team was a important advancement in the right direction after an uninspiring start to their autumn schedule.