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After last week's disappointing performance against the Japanese team, the head coach challenged his Irish team to improve their game.

Ireland responded immediately.

Ireland had faded in the final stages against New Zealand and required most of the match to get going versus their Asian opponents.

Nevertheless, against Australia, they started powerfully, with Mack Hansen excelling most prominently during a 46-19 victory that marked Ireland's finest display this year.

Making his first international start at the number 15 position, Hansen scored a three tries, competed brilliantly for high balls and played exceptionally against the country of his birth.

"You know, I've experienced a pretty challenging run with fitness issues honestly," the athlete commented.

"I longed for being in this squad, I know there's considerable talk about me not exactly being born here and I wasn't raised here, but I love this team and this feels like family.

"Any time I have to play for Ireland it's a honor, if you fail to deliver a good showing you might not receive that opportunity again.

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

Coach stated: 'Good athletes require no excuses'

After 28 caps on the wing, the player was entrusted the number 15 position for the first time with multiple teammates unavailable.

In his case, it was essentially a case of picking up where he left off during the warmer months.

The experienced player had been in superb form before physical issues disrupted his aspiration of making the Test team.

Having returned last month, he suffered a foot problem that made him unavailable for earlier fixtures.

Farrell had suggested that the player was particularly motivated and these turned out to be not empty words as the former provincial player gave his coach a welcome selection headache for upcoming games.

"So my first reaction were, 'You better perform well in those two coloured shoes!'," commented the coach, alluding to the player's choice to wear mismatched boots.

"Actually I thought that was appropriate but apparently Mack just made that personally anyway. So he's attracted attention to himself before he's even begun.

"I told to him before the game, 'Good athletes require no excuses, they can perform and just be themselves, you can win the man of the match if you choose,' and he responded, 'Yeah, I concur.'

"So he's that type of performer, he trains thoroughly, he's has a great approach to understand his detail and thus that's why he slotted straight into the team and he was able to be himself because of that."

The player's performance also received praise from the opposing coach, who remarked he was the "standout opposition performer" on the night.

"I thought he was outstanding, his knowledge was evident to the front," commented the ex- international coach.

"Regrettably, Mack was likely the best Australian performer on the pitch. He's has a great ability and he's such a good contender."

When asked about what enables Hansen a strong fit at full-back, the coach added: "Appearing in the center of the field is a trait that he demonstrates from the wing anyway, but I suppose he's better in place for that frequently.

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

"The reason that was the right thing to do is because it's the likes of Mackie who was getting the possessions returned, and additional teammates, so [it's] quite satisfying."

Outside Hansen, there were numerous encouraging aspects for the coach.

Sam Prendergast was excellent on his comeback to the fly-half jersey, the scrum and line-out operated smoothly and another player did not look out of place in his debut appearance in the front row.

But perhaps more satisfying for Farrell was the team framing the match with two impressive spells.

Hansen's initial couple of tries came in the opening 11 moments while additional teammates scored in the closing exchanges after the other team had crossed, ensuring the home team concluded on a high.

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

"How we handled various aspects throughout the game, particularly them coming back just before half-time and reorganizing ourselves and producing a display like we did in the later stages, I thought as far as field position and being familiar with most of our strategy in that later period was really pleasing."

The might of South Africa are awaiting for the team, in what could be considered as an informal decider to last year's drawn multiple match series on opposition soil.

The coach's team will need to reach a higher level to beat the back-to-back world champions, but Saturday's defeat of the Australian team was a important advancement in the right path after an disappointing start to their fall schedule.