Mack Hansen delivers stellar performance as Ireland respond to Farrell's demand

Following their previous underwhelming showing against Japan, the head coach challenged his Ireland squad to improve their game.

The team responded right away.

Ireland had faded late against New Zealand and required considerable time to find their rhythm versus Japan.

Nevertheless, facing Australia, they began powerfully, with Mack Hansen shining most prominently during a comprehensive victory that marked the team's finest display this year.

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

"Look, I've had a pretty difficult period with fitness issues really," the athlete commented.

"I longed for being in this squad, I know there's considerable discussion about me not exactly being raised here and I wasn't raised here, but I adore this group and this seems like home.

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

"My whole focus this week was to take the field and perform what I can do."

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

Following twenty-eight caps on the wing, the player was given the number 15 position for the initial time with several teammates unavailable.

For him, it was simply a matter of picking up where he finished during the warmer months.

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

Having come back last month, he suffered a lower body injury that made him unavailable for previous fixtures.

Farrell had suggested that the player was particularly motivated and these turned out to be not hollow statements as the ex- provincial player gave his coach a welcome team headache for upcoming games.

"So my first reaction were, 'You better perform well in those different coloured shoes!'," said the coach, alluding to Hansen's decision to sport mismatched boots.

"Actually I believed that was fitting but it seems Hansen just made that himself regardless. So he's attracted attention to himself before he's even started.

"I told to him before the match, 'Good athletes don't need justifications, they can perform and just play naturally, you can get the man of the match if you want,' and he went, 'Yeah, I concur.'

"So he's that kind of player, he prepares thoroughly, he's has a excellent attitude to understand his preparation and so that's why he fitted straight into the team and he was capable to be himself because of that."

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

"I thought he was super, his knowledge was evident to the fore," commented the former national coach.

"Regrettably, Mack was likely the best opposition player on the pitch. He's has a great ability and he's such a good competitor."

When asked about what enables Hansen a good option at full-back, Farrell continued: "Appearing in the center of the pitch is something that he demonstrates from the flank regardless, but I imagine he's better in position for that frequently.

"The player's high ball work was excellent, wasn't it? I thought we persisted of executing the correct approach and that was placing the possession back on them to secure territory.

"Why that was the right thing to do is because it's the players of Mackie who was securing the possessions returned, and other teammates, so [it's] quite pleasing."

Outside Hansen, there were numerous positives for the coach.

Another player was outstanding on his comeback to the fly-half position, the scrum and throw-in operated smoothly and another player did not look uncomfortable in his first start in the front row.

But perhaps more satisfying for Farrell was Ireland bookending the match with two strong periods.

Hansen's initial two tries came in the first 11 minutes while additional players scored in the final exchanges after the other team had scored, guaranteeing the home team finished on a positive note.

"In my opinion we truly let ourselves go and attacked the game right from the beginning," said the coach.

"The way we handled numerous elements during the match, particularly them responding just before half-time and reorganizing ourselves and producing a performance like we achieved in the second half, I believed as far as field position and being across most of our game in that second half was really pleasing."

The strength of the Springboks are awaiting for the team, in what might be considered as an informal decider to the previous season's tied two-Test contest on opposition territory.

The coach's team will need to attain another level to defeat the consecutive title holders, but Saturday's victory of the Wallabies was a important step in the right direction after an disappointing beginning to their fall campaign.