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After their previous underwhelming performance against the Japanese team, Andy Farrell told his Irish team to step up their performance.

Ireland responded right away.

The Irish side had struggled in the final stages against the All Blacks and taken most of the match to get going versus Japan.

However, facing the Wallabies, they began strongly, with Mack Hansen excelling brightest during a 46-19 triumph that marked Ireland's finest performance this year.

In his first test match appearance at the number 15 position, Hansen registered a three tries, contested brilliantly for aerial challenges and performed outstandingly against the nation of his birth.

"Look, I've experienced a pretty challenging period with fitness issues honestly," Hansen commented.

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

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

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

Coach stated: 'Excellent athletes require no excuses'

After twenty-eight appearances on the flank, the player was entrusted the full-back role for the first time with multiple players unavailable.

In his case, it was essentially a matter of picking up where he finished during the summer.

The experienced player had been in superb condition before physical issues disrupted his dream of joining the international squad.

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

Farrell had suggested that the player was particularly determined and these turned out to be not hollow words as the former club player gave his coach a welcome selection headache for future games.

"So my first thoughts were, 'You need to perform well in those different coloured boots!'," said Farrell, alluding to the player's decision to wear different footwear.

"In fact I believed that was fitting but it seems Mack just did that personally regardless. So he's attracted notice to himself before he's even begun.

"I told to him before the game, 'Excellent players require no excuses, they can get on with it and just be themselves, you can win the man of the match if you want,' and he went, 'Yes, I concur.'

"Therefore he's that kind of player, he trains thoroughly, he's has a excellent approach to understand his preparation and so that's why he fitted right back in and he was able to perform naturally due to that."

The player's performance also received commendation from the opposing manager, who remarked he was the "exceptional Australian player" on the night.

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

"Unfortunately, Mack was likely the standout Australian performer on the pitch. He's has a excellent ability and he's such a good competitor."

Pressed about what makes Hansen a strong fit at full-back, the coach continued: "Showing up in the middle of the field is something that he demonstrates from the flank regardless, but I imagine he's better in place for that more often.

"His high ball work was brilliant, wasn't it? I believed we didn't get bored of executing the correct thing and that was placing the possession again on them to secure field position.

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

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

Sam Prendergast was outstanding on his return to the number 10 position, the set piece and line-out functioned effectively and another teammate did not appear uncomfortable in his first appearance in the front row.

But possibly most pleasing for Farrell was Ireland bookending the game with multiple impressive spells.

Hansen's first couple of scores came in the opening 11 minutes while additional teammates scored in the final stages after the opposition had scored, ensuring the home team finished on a high.

"In my opinion we really let ourselves go and attacked the game straight from the word go," stated Farrell.

"How we managed various aspects during the game, especially the opposition coming back just before the break and regathering ourselves and producing a display like we did in the second half, I thought as far as territory and being familiar with most of our game in that second half was really satisfying."

The might of South Africa are awaiting for Ireland, in what could be viewed as an informal conclusion to the previous season's tied multiple match contest on opposition soil.

The coach's team will require to reach another standard to defeat the consecutive title holders, but Saturday's defeat of the Wallabies was a significant step in the right direction after an disappointing beginning to their fall schedule.