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After last week's disappointing showing against Japan, the head coach told his Ireland squad to step up their performance.

The team responded immediately.

Ireland had struggled in the final stages against the All Blacks and taken most of the match to find their rhythm versus Japan.

Nevertheless, facing Australia, they started strongly, with the talented back excelling brightest during a comprehensive triumph that marked Ireland's finest display of the season.

In his debut test match start at full-back, Hansen scored a hat-trick, contested brilliantly for aerial challenges and performed outstandingly against the country of his birth.

"Look, I've had a fairly difficult run with injuries honestly," Hansen commented.

"I longed for being in this team, I understand there's considerable talk about me not necessarily being raised here and I didn't grow up here, but I adore this team and this seems like home.

"Whenever 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 focus this period was to take the field and do what I could do."

Manager declared: 'Good players don't need excuses'

Following 28 appearances on the flank, the player was entrusted the number 15 position for the first time with multiple teammates injured.

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

The 28-year-old had been in excellent form before physical issues disrupted his dream of joining the Test team.

After returned recently, he suffered a foot injury that ruled him out for earlier fixtures.

Farrell had suggested that Hansen was especially determined and these proved not empty statements as the ex- provincial player gave his coach a positive selection dilemma for future games.

"So my first thoughts were, 'You need to perform excellently in those different coloured shoes!'," commented Farrell, alluding to the player's decision to sport different footwear.

"Actually I thought that was appropriate but apparently Mack just made that personally anyway. So he's attracted notice to himself before he's even started.

"I said to him before the game, 'Good athletes require no excuses, they can get on with it and just play naturally, you can win the player of the game if you choose,' and he went, 'Yes, I concur.'

"So he's that kind of performer, he trains well, he's has a great attitude to understand his detail and thus that's why he slotted right back in and he was able to perform naturally due to that."

Hansen's performance also earned praise from the rival manager, who stated he was the "standout Australian performer" on the night.

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

"Unfortunately, Hansen was likely the best Australian player on the field. He's has a great ability and he's such a strong competitor."

Pressed about what makes Hansen a strong fit at the number 15 position, the coach continued: "Showing up in the middle of the field is a trait that he demonstrates from the flank anyway, but I imagine he's better in place for that frequently.

"His high ball work was brilliant, don't you think? I thought we persisted of doing the right thing and that was putting the possession again on them to gain field position.

"Why that was the right strategy to do is since it's the likes of Hansen who was getting the balls back, and other players, so [it's] pretty satisfying."

Beyond the star performer, there were multiple encouraging aspects for the coach.

Another player was excellent on his comeback to the fly-half jersey, the scrum and throw-in operated effectively and another teammate did not look out of place in his debut start in the front row.

But perhaps most pleasing for the manager was the team bookending the match with multiple strong spells.

Hansen's initial two scores occurred in the opening 11 moments while additional teammates scored in the closing stages after the opposition had scored, ensuring the home team concluded on a high.

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

"How we managed various elements during the match, especially them responding just before half-time and reorganizing ourselves and giving a display like we achieved in the second half, I thought as far as territory and being across most of our game in that second half was truly satisfying."

The strength of South Africa are awaiting for Ireland, in what could be viewed as an unofficial decider to the previous season's drawn two-Test contest on opposition territory.

The coach's side will require to reach another standard to defeat the back-to-back title holders, but the recent defeat of the Wallabies was a important advancement in the correct path after an uninspiring start to their fall campaign.