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

The team listened immediately.

The Irish side had struggled late against the All Blacks and required considerable time to get going versus Japan.

Nevertheless, against Australia, they started powerfully, with the talented back shining brightest during a comprehensive victory that marked the team's best performance of the season.

In his first international start at full-back, Hansen scored a three tries, contested excellently for aerial challenges and performed exceptionally against the country of his birth.

"You know, I've experienced a fairly challenging run with injuries really," the athlete stated.

"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 home.

"Whenever I have to play for Ireland it's a privilege, if you don't put in a good showing you might not get that privilege again.

"My whole focus this week was to go out and do what I could do."

Coach stated: 'Good athletes require no justifications'

Following twenty-eight appearances on the flank, the player was given the number 15 role for the first time with several teammates unavailable.

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

The experienced player had been in superb form before injury disrupted his dream of joining the international team.

Having come back last month, he suffered a foot injury that made him unavailable for earlier fixtures.

The coach had suggested that Hansen was particularly motivated and these proved not empty words as the former provincial player gave his manager a positive team dilemma for future matches.

"Well my first thoughts were, 'You better play well in those different coloured shoes!'," said Farrell, alluding to Hansen's decision to sport mismatched footwear.

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

"I said to him before the match, 'Excellent players don't need justifications, they can perform and just be themselves, you can get the man of the match if you want,' and he went, 'Yeah, I concur.'

"So he's that type of performer, he prepares thoroughly, he's has a excellent approach to understand his detail and so that's why he slotted right into the team and he was able to perform naturally because of that."

Hansen's efforts also earned commendation from the rival coach, who stated he was the "exceptional opposition player" on the night.

"I thought he was super, his knowledge was evident to the fore," said the former international manager.

"Unfortunately, Hansen was likely the best Australian player on the field. He's got a great skillset and he's such a good competitor."

Pressed about what enables Hansen a strong option at full-back, the coach added: "Appearing in the center of the field is a trait that he demonstrates from the flank regardless, but I imagine he's better in position for that frequently.

"His aerial play was excellent, don't you think? I believed we persisted of doing the right thing and that was placing the possession again on them to secure territory.

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

Beyond the star performer, there were numerous encouraging aspects for the coach.

Another player was excellent on his comeback to the fly-half position, the set piece and throw-in operated effectively and another teammate did not look uncomfortable in his debut appearance in the forwards.

But possibly more pleasing for Farrell was Ireland bookending the match with multiple strong periods.

Hansen's first couple of scores occurred in the first eleven minutes while additional teammates scored in the closing exchanges after the opposition had crossed, guaranteeing the home side concluded on a high.

"In my opinion we really performed freely and attacked the match straight from the beginning," 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 achieved in the second half, I believed as far as territory and being across most of our strategy in that later period was really pleasing."

The might of South Africa are next up for the team, in what might be considered as an unofficial decider to last year's drawn multiple match contest on rival territory.

Farrell's side will need to attain a higher level to defeat the back-to-back title holders, but the recent defeat of the Wallabies was a important step in the correct direction after an disappointing beginning to their autumn campaign.