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After last week's underwhelming showing against Japan, Andy Farrell told his Ireland squad to improve their performance.

Ireland listened right away.

Ireland had struggled late against the All Blacks and required most of the match to find their rhythm versus their Asian opponents.

Nevertheless, against the Wallabies, they began powerfully, with Mack Hansen excelling most prominently during a 46-19 triumph that marked Ireland's finest display of the season.

In his first test match start at full-back, Hansen scored a three tries, competed brilliantly for aerial challenges and performed outstandingly against the country of his birth.

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

"I missed being in this team, I know there's much talk about me not necessarily being born here and I wasn't raised here, but I love this team and this seems like home.

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

"My whole focus this week was to go out and do what I could do."

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

Following 28 caps on the wing, the player was given the number 15 role for the first time with several players injured.

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

The 28-year-old had been in superb condition before injury ended his dream of making the Test team.

After returned last month, he suffered a foot injury that ruled him out for previous fixtures.

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

"Well my initial reaction were, 'You need to perform well in those different coloured shoes!'," commented the coach, alluding to the player's decision to sport mismatched footwear.

"In fact I thought that was appropriate but it seems Hansen just did that personally anyway. So he's drawn attention to himself before he's even begun.

"I said to him before the match, 'Excellent players require no justifications, they can get on with it and just be themselves, you can win the man of the match if you want,' and he went, 'Yeah, I agree.'

"So he's that kind of performer, he prepares well, he's has a great approach to understand his detail and thus that's why he slotted right back in and he was able to be himself due to that."

Hansen's efforts also earned commendation from the rival manager, who remarked he was the "exceptional Australian player" on the evening.

"I thought he was super, his knowledge showed to the front," commented the ex- national manager.

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

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

"The player's aerial work was brilliant, wasn't it? I believed we persisted of executing the correct approach and that was placing the possession back on them to gain field position.

"Why that was the right thing to do is because it's the likes of Hansen who was getting the possessions back, and other teammates, so [it's] quite satisfying."

Outside Hansen, there were numerous positives for the coach.

Another player was excellent on his return to the fly-half jersey, the scrum and line-out functioned effectively and another player did not appear out of place in his debut appearance in the front row.

But possibly most pleasing for the manager was Ireland bookending the match with multiple strong spells.

The player's first two scores occurred in the first 11 minutes while additional players scored in the final stages after the opposition had scored, guaranteeing the home side concluded on a positive note.

"I thought we really let ourselves go and approached the match right from the word go," said Farrell.

"How we handled various aspects during the game, especially the opposition responding just before half-time and regathering ourselves and producing a performance like we did in the later stages, I thought as far as field position and being across the majority of our strategy in that later period was truly satisfying."

The strength of the Springboks are next up for Ireland, in what could be considered as an informal conclusion to the previous season's drawn two-Test series on rival territory.

The coach's side will need to attain a higher level to beat the consecutive world champions, but the recent victory of the Australian team was a significant step in the correct path after an uninspiring beginning to their fall campaign.