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

The team responded immediately.

The Irish side had struggled in the final stages against New Zealand and required considerable time to get going versus Japan.

Nevertheless, facing the Wallabies, they began powerfully, with Mack Hansen shining brightest during a 46-19 triumph that marked the team's best display this year.

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

"You know, I've experienced a pretty challenging run with injuries honestly," Hansen stated.

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

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

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

Manager declared: 'Good athletes require no excuses'

Following twenty-eight appearances on the wing, the player was given the full-back position for the initial time with multiple players unavailable.

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

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

Having returned recently, he developed a foot problem that ruled him out for earlier fixtures.

The coach had suggested that Hansen was particularly determined and these proved not hollow statements as the former provincial player gave his manager a welcome selection headache for upcoming games.

"Well my initial reaction were, 'You need to perform excellently in those different coloured boots!'," said Farrell, alluding to the player's choice to wear mismatched boots.

"In fact I thought that was fitting but it seems Hansen just made that himself anyway. So he's attracted notice to himself before he's even begun.

"I said to him before the game, 'Good players require no justifications, they can perform and just play naturally, you can get the player of the game if you want,' and he responded, 'Yeah, I agree.'

"Therefore he's that type of performer, he trains well, he's got a excellent attitude to get across his preparation and thus that's why he fitted right back in and he was capable to be himself because of that."

The player's performance also earned praise from the opposing manager, who remarked he was the "exceptional Australian performer" on the evening.

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

"Regrettably, Hansen was probably the standout Australian performer on the field. He's got a great ability and he's such a strong competitor."

When asked about what enables 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 more in place for that frequently.

"His high ball play was excellent, don't you think? I thought we didn't get bored of doing the right approach and that was putting the ball again on them to secure field position.

"The reason that was the correct thing to do is because it's the likes of Mackie who was securing the balls back, and other teammates, so [it's] quite satisfying."

Outside the star performer, there were multiple positives for Farrell.

Sam Prendergast was outstanding on his comeback to the number 10 position, the set piece and throw-in functioned effectively and another player did not look out of place in his debut start in the front row.

But possibly most satisfying for the manager was the team framing the game with multiple strong periods.

The player's first two tries occurred in the first eleven minutes while other teammates scored in the closing stages after the opposition had crossed, guaranteeing the Irish team finished on a high.

"I thought we truly performed freely and approached the game right from the beginning," stated the coach.

"How we handled various aspects during the match, especially the opposition coming back just before half-time and reorganizing ourselves and giving a display like we did in the later stages, I thought as far as field position and being across the majority of our game in that second half was truly satisfying."

The might of the Springboks are next up for Ireland, in what could be viewed as an informal conclusion to last year's tied multiple match series on rival territory.

The coach's team will need to attain a higher standard to defeat the consecutive world champions, but Saturday's victory of the Australian team was a significant step in the right direction after an uninspiring beginning to their autumn campaign.