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Following their previous disappointing showing against Japan, Andy Farrell challenged his Irish team to improve their performance.

Ireland responded immediately.

The Irish side had struggled late against the All Blacks and taken most of the match to get going versus their Asian opponents.

Nevertheless, facing Australia, they began powerfully, with the talented back excelling brightest during a 46-19 triumph that represented the team's finest performance this year.

Making his debut international start at the number 15 position, the player registered a three tries, competed excellently for aerial challenges and played outstandingly against the country of his birth.

"You know, I've experienced a pretty challenging period with injuries really," Hansen commented.

"I missed being in this team, I know there's much talk about me not exactly being born here and I wasn't raised here, but I adore this group and this feels like home.

"Whenever I have to play for the national team it's a privilege, if you don't put in a performance you may not receive that privilege again.

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

Manager declared: 'Excellent athletes require no justifications'

Following 28 caps on the flank, Hansen was entrusted the number 15 position for the initial time with several teammates unavailable.

For him, it was essentially a matter of picking up where he finished during the summer.

The experienced player had been in excellent form before injury ended his aspiration of joining the Test squad.

After returned recently, he suffered a lower body injury that ruled him out for previous matches.

The coach had suggested that Hansen was particularly motivated and these proved not hollow statements as the former provincial player gave his manager a positive team headache for future games.

"So my first reaction were, 'You need to perform well in those different colored shoes!'," commented the coach, referring to Hansen's choice to sport different boots.

"In fact I thought that was fitting but apparently Mack just made that personally anyway. So he's attracted attention to himself before he's even started.

"I said to him before the game, 'Good athletes don't need excuses, they can get on with it and just play naturally, you can win the player of the game if you want,' and he responded, 'Yes, I agree.'

"So he's that kind of player, he trains well, he's got a great attitude to understand his detail and thus that's why he fitted right back in and he was able to be himself due to that."

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

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

"Regrettably, Hansen was probably the standout Australian performer on the field. He's has a excellent skillset and he's such a strong competitor."

Pressed about what makes the player a good fit at full-back, the coach added: "Showing up in the middle of the field is something that he does from the wing anyway, but I imagine he's better in position for that more often.

"The player's aerial work was excellent, wasn't it? I believed we didn't get bored of doing the right thing and that was putting the possession back on them to secure field position.

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

Beyond Hansen, there were multiple encouraging aspects for the coach.

Another player was outstanding on his comeback to the number 10 position, the scrum and line-out operated effectively and different teammate did not look uncomfortable in his debut appearance in the front row.

But possibly most satisfying for Farrell was Ireland framing the game with two strong periods.

Hansen's first couple of tries occurred in the first eleven moments while other players scored in the closing stages after the opposition had crossed, guaranteeing the Irish side concluded on a positive note.

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

"How we handled various elements throughout the match, particularly the opposition coming back just before the break and regathering ourselves and producing a display 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 truly pleasing."

The might of the Springboks are next up for Ireland, in what could be viewed as an informal conclusion to the previous season's tied two-Test series on opposition soil.

Farrell's team will require to reach a higher standard to defeat the consecutive world champions, but the recent victory of the Wallabies was a important advancement in the correct path after an disappointing start to their autumn campaign.