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

The team listened right away.

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

However, against Australia, they began powerfully, with Mack Hansen shining most prominently during a 46-19 triumph that represented the team's finest performance of the season.

Making his debut international start at full-back, the player registered a three tries, competed excellently for aerial challenges and performed outstandingly against the country of his origin.

"Look, I've experienced a fairly challenging run with injuries honestly," the athlete stated.

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

"Any time I have to represent for Ireland it's a privilege, if you don't put in a good showing you may not get that privilege again.

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

Coach stated: 'Excellent players require no justifications'

After 28 caps on the wing, the player was given the full-back role for the initial time with several players injured.

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

The experienced player had been in excellent form before injury disrupted his aspiration of joining the Test team.

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

Farrell had indicated that the player was especially motivated and these proved not hollow words as the ex- club player gave his coach a welcome team headache for future games.

"Well my first reaction were, 'You need to play excellently in those two coloured shoes!'," commented Farrell, referring to Hansen's decision to wear mismatched footwear.

"Actually I thought that was appropriate but it seems Hansen just made that personally anyway. So he's drawn notice to himself before he's even started.

"I told to him before the match, 'Excellent athletes don't need justifications, they can perform and just play naturally, you can win the player of the game if you choose,' and he went, 'Yes, I concur.'

"Therefore he's that kind of player, he prepares well, he's got a excellent attitude to get across his detail and so that's why he slotted right into the team and he was able to perform naturally due to that."

The player's performance also received praise from the rival manager, who stated he was the "standout opposition player" on the night.

"In my view he was outstanding, his experience was evident to the front," said the ex- international manager.

"Unfortunately, Hansen was probably the best Australian performer on the pitch. He's has a excellent ability and he's such a strong contender."

Pressed about what makes the player a good option at full-back, Farrell continued: "Showing up in the center of the pitch is a trait that he demonstrates from the wing anyway, but I suppose he's more in position for that frequently.

"His high ball work was brilliant, don't you think? I believed we persisted of doing the correct thing and that was placing the possession back on them to secure field position.

"The reason that was the right strategy to do is because it's the players of Mackie who was getting the balls returned, and other teammates, so [it's] quite pleasing."

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

Another player was outstanding on his return to the number 10 jersey, the scrum and line-out functioned smoothly and another player did not look uncomfortable in his first start in the front row.

But perhaps most satisfying for Farrell was the team bookending the game with multiple strong periods.

The player's initial couple of tries came in the first eleven moments while additional players registered in the final exchanges after the other team had crossed, guaranteeing the home team finished on a positive note.

"In my opinion we really performed freely and approached the match straight from the word go," stated Farrell.

"How we handled numerous elements throughout the game, particularly them 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 second half was really pleasing."

The strength of the Springboks are awaiting for Ireland, in what might be considered as an informal decider to the previous season's drawn two-Test series on rival soil.

Farrell's side will need to attain another standard to beat the back-to-back title holders, but Saturday's defeat of the Wallabies was a significant advancement in the correct direction after an disappointing start to their fall schedule.