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Following their previous underwhelming performance against the Japanese team, the head coach told his Ireland team to step up their performance.

Ireland listened immediately.

Ireland had faded late against the All Blacks and required considerable time to get going versus their Asian opponents.

Nevertheless, facing Australia, they started strongly, with Mack Hansen excelling most prominently during a 46-19 triumph that marked Ireland's finest performance of the season.

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

"You know, I've had a fairly difficult run with fitness issues honestly," Hansen stated.

"I longed for being in this squad, I know there's much talk about me not necessarily being born here and I didn't grow up here, but I adore this group and this feels like home.

"Whenever I have to represent for Ireland it's a honor, if you fail to deliver a performance you might not get that opportunity again.

"My entire focus this week was to take the field and do what I could do."

Coach declared: 'Excellent players require no justifications'

After 28 appearances on the wing, Hansen was entrusted the number 15 position for the initial time with multiple players injured.

For him, it was essentially a case of picking up where he finished during the summer.

The 28-year-old had been in excellent form before physical issues disrupted his dream of making the international squad.

Having come back last month, he developed a lower body problem that made him unavailable for previous matches.

Farrell had suggested that the player was particularly determined and these turned out to be not empty statements as the former club player gave his manager a welcome team headache for upcoming games.

"Well my first reaction were, 'You better play well in those different coloured boots!'," commented the coach, referring to the player's decision to sport mismatched boots.

"In fact I thought that was fitting but apparently Mack just did that himself regardless. So he's drawn notice to himself before he's even started.

"I told to him before the match, 'Good athletes don't need excuses, they can perform and just play naturally, you can win the player of the game if you want,' and he went, 'Yes, I agree.'

"So he's that type of player, he trains well, he's got a excellent attitude to get across his preparation and thus that's why he fitted right into the team and he was capable to be himself because of that."

Hansen's performance also received commendation from the rival manager, who remarked he was the "standout Australian performer" on the night.

"In my view he was super, his knowledge showed to the fore," commented the former national manager.

"Unfortunately, Hansen was likely the best opposition performer on the field. He's got a excellent skillset and he's such a good contender."

Pressed about what enables the player a good option at the number 15 position, the coach added: "Appearing in the center of the pitch is a trait that he does from the flank regardless, but I imagine he's better in place for that frequently.

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

"Why that was the right strategy to do is since it's the players of Hansen who was securing the balls returned, and additional teammates, so [it's] quite pleasing."

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

Another player was outstanding on his comeback to the fly-half position, the set piece and line-out functioned smoothly and different teammate did not look uncomfortable in his debut start in the front row.

But possibly most pleasing for Farrell was the team framing the match with two strong periods.

The player's first two scores came in the first eleven minutes while additional players registered in the final stages after the other team had crossed, guaranteeing the Irish side concluded on a positive note.

"In my opinion we truly let ourselves go and attacked the match right from the word go," said Farrell.

"The way we handled various elements during the game, especially the opposition responding just before half-time and reorganizing ourselves and giving a display like we achieved in the second half, I believed as far as field position and being across most of our strategy in that later period was really satisfying."

The strength of South Africa are next up for the team, in what could be viewed as an unofficial decider to last year's drawn multiple match series on rival soil.

The coach's side will require to attain a higher standard to beat the back-to-back world champions, but Saturday's victory of the Australian team was a significant step in the correct path after an disappointing start to their autumn campaign.