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Following their previous underwhelming showing against the Japanese team, the head coach told his Ireland squad to improve their game.

The team listened right away.

The Irish side had faded in the final stages against the All Blacks and taken considerable time to get going versus Japan.

However, against the Wallabies, they started strongly, with the talented back shining brightest during a comprehensive victory that represented the team's best performance of the season.

Making his first test match appearance at full-back, the player scored a hat-trick, competed excellently for high balls and performed outstandingly against the nation of his origin.

"You know, I've experienced a pretty difficult period with fitness issues really," Hansen commented.

"I missed 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 love this team and this seems like home.

"Whenever I have to play for the national team it's a honor, if you fail to deliver a good showing you might not get that opportunity again.

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

Manager stated: 'Excellent athletes require no justifications'

After 28 appearances on the wing, the player was entrusted the full-back position for the first time with multiple players unavailable.

For him, it was essentially a matter of continuing where he left off during the warmer months.

The 28-year-old had been in excellent form before injury ended his dream of making the international squad.

After returned last month, he developed a lower body problem that ruled him out for previous matches.

The coach had suggested that the player was particularly determined and these proved not hollow words as the former club player gave his coach a positive selection headache for upcoming games.

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

"Actually I believed that was appropriate but it seems Mack just made that himself regardless. So he's attracted attention to himself before he's even begun.

"I told to him before the game, 'Good athletes require no justifications, they can perform and just be themselves, you can win the man of the match if you want,' and he went, 'Yes, I agree.'

"Therefore he's that type of performer, he prepares well, he's got a great attitude to understand his detail and thus that's why he slotted straight into the team and he was capable to perform naturally because of that."

The player's efforts also earned praise from the opposing coach, who remarked he was the "standout Australian player" on the evening.

"In my view he was super, his experience was evident to the front," commented the former international manager.

"Regrettably, Hansen was probably the standout opposition player on the pitch. He's got a excellent skillset and he's such a good competitor."

Pressed about what makes Hansen a good option at the number 15 position, Farrell continued: "Appearing in the middle of the pitch is something that he does from the wing anyway, but I imagine he's more in position for that more often.

"His aerial work was excellent, wasn't it? I believed we persisted of executing the correct approach and that was putting the ball again on them to gain territory.

"Why that was the right thing to do is because it's the players of Mackie who was getting the balls returned, and other players, so [it's] pretty satisfying."

Outside Hansen, there were multiple positives for the coach.

Another player was outstanding on his return to the number 10 position, the set piece and line-out operated effectively and another teammate did not appear out of place in his first start in the forwards.

But perhaps more pleasing for the manager was Ireland framing the game with multiple impressive periods.

The player's initial two tries occurred in the first 11 minutes while additional teammates scored in the closing stages after the other team had crossed, ensuring the Irish side concluded on a positive note.

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

"How we managed various aspects during the game, particularly them coming back just before the break and regathering ourselves and giving a performance like we did in the later stages, I believed as far as field position and being across the majority of our game in that second half was really pleasing."

The strength of the Springboks are awaiting for the team, in what could be considered as an unofficial decider to the previous season's drawn multiple match series on opposition soil.

Farrell's side will require to attain a higher level to beat the consecutive title holders, but Saturday's defeat of the Australian team was a significant advancement in the correct path after an disappointing beginning to their autumn schedule.