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After their previous disappointing performance against the Japanese team, the head coach told his Irish squad to improve their game.

The team listened immediately.

The Irish side had faded in the final stages against New Zealand and required most of the match to find their rhythm versus Japan.

However, facing Australia, they started strongly, with Mack Hansen shining most prominently during a 46-19 triumph that marked Ireland's best performance of the season.

In his debut international start at the number 15 position, the player scored a three tries, competed excellently for high balls and played outstandingly against the country of his birth.

"Look, I've experienced a pretty challenging run with fitness issues really," the athlete commented.

"I longed for being in this team, I know there's considerable discussion about me not necessarily being raised here and I didn't grow up here, but I love this group and this feels like family.

"Whenever I get to represent for Ireland it's a honor, if you don't put in a performance you may not receive that privilege again.

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

Manager declared: 'Good athletes require no justifications'

After 28 appearances on the flank, the player was entrusted the number 15 position for the initial time with multiple players injured.

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

The experienced player had been in excellent condition before injury disrupted his aspiration of making the international team.

Having returned last month, he suffered a lower body injury that made him unavailable for previous fixtures.

The coach had indicated that the player was especially determined and these proved not hollow words as the former club player gave his coach a positive team headache for future matches.

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

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

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

"So he's that kind of player, he prepares well, he's has a excellent approach to get across his preparation and thus that's why he slotted right into the team and he was capable to be himself due to that."

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

"I thought he was outstanding, his knowledge showed to the fore," commented the former national coach.

"Unfortunately, Hansen was probably the best Australian performer on the field. He's got a great ability and he's such a good contender."

Pressed about what makes Hansen a good option at full-back, Farrell added: "Showing up in the middle of the pitch is a trait that he does from the flank anyway, but I imagine he's better in place for that frequently.

"The player's high ball play was excellent, don't you think? I believed we persisted of executing the correct thing and that was putting the possession back on them to secure territory.

"Why that was the correct strategy to do is because it's the likes of Mackie who was securing the balls returned, and additional teammates, so [it's] pretty pleasing."

Beyond Hansen, there were numerous positives for Farrell.

Another player was outstanding on his comeback to the fly-half position, the set piece and line-out operated effectively and another player did not look uncomfortable in his first appearance in the forwards.

But perhaps most pleasing for Farrell was the team bookending the match with two strong periods.

Hansen's first two scores came in the first eleven minutes while other teammates scored in the closing stages after the other team had scored, ensuring the Irish team concluded on a positive note.

"I thought we truly performed freely and attacked the game right from the word go," said the coach.

"The way we handled various aspects throughout the game, particularly the opposition coming back just before half-time and reorganizing ourselves and giving a display like we did in the later stages, I believed as far as territory and being across most of our game in that second half was truly satisfying."

The might of South Africa are next up for Ireland, in what could be considered as an informal decider to the previous season's tied two-Test series on opposition territory.

The coach's team will need to attain a higher standard to defeat the consecutive world champions, but the recent defeat of the Wallabies was a important advancement in the correct path after an disappointing beginning to their autumn schedule.