Mack Hansen produces brilliant display as Ireland answer to Farrell's challenge

After their previous disappointing performance against the Japanese team, the head coach challenged his Ireland squad to step up their performance.

Ireland listened immediately.

Ireland had struggled in the final stages against the All Blacks and taken most of the match to find their rhythm versus their Asian opponents.

Nevertheless, facing Australia, they started strongly, with the talented back excelling brightest during a comprehensive victory that marked Ireland's finest display of the season.

Making his debut international start at full-back, the player scored a hat-trick, competed brilliantly for aerial challenges and performed outstandingly against the nation of his birth.

"You know, I've experienced a pretty difficult run with injuries honestly," the athlete stated.

"I missed being in this team, I understand there's much talk about me not exactly being born here and I didn't grow up here, but I love this team and this seems like home.

"Any time I get to play for Ireland it's a privilege, if you don't put in a performance you might not receive that opportunity again.

"My whole approach this period was to take the field and do what I could do."

Manager declared: 'Excellent players require no excuses'

After twenty-eight caps on the wing, the player was given the full-back position for the initial time with multiple players injured.

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

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

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

Farrell had indicated that the player was especially motivated and these proved not hollow words as the former provincial player gave his manager a positive team headache for future games.

"So my first thoughts were, 'You need to perform well in those different coloured shoes!'," said the coach, referring 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 attention to himself before he's even begun.

"I told to him before the game, 'Good players don't need excuses, they can get on with it and just play naturally, you can win the man of the match if you choose,' and he went, 'Yes, I agree.'

"Therefore he's that kind of performer, he trains thoroughly, he's got a excellent approach to understand his preparation and thus that's why he slotted straight back in and he was able to be himself because of that."

The player's performance also earned praise from the rival coach, who stated he was the "standout opposition performer" on the night.

"In my view he was super, his experience was evident to the front," said the ex- international manager.

"Regrettably, Mack was probably the best Australian player on the pitch. He's got a excellent ability and he's such a good competitor."

Pressed about what makes the player a strong fit at full-back, Farrell added: "Appearing in the middle of the pitch is something that he does from the flank regardless, but I imagine he's better in position for that more often.

"The player's high ball work was excellent, don't you think? I believed we didn't get bored of doing the correct thing and that was placing the ball back on them to gain territory.

"Why that was the correct thing to do is since it's the players of Mackie who was securing the possessions returned, and other teammates, so [it's] quite pleasing."

Outside the star performer, there were numerous positives for the coach.

Sam Prendergast was excellent on his comeback to the number 10 jersey, the set piece and throw-in operated effectively and different player did not appear uncomfortable in his first appearance in the front row.

But possibly most pleasing for Farrell was the team bookending the game with multiple strong spells.

Hansen's first two scores occurred in the first 11 minutes while additional teammates registered in the final exchanges after the opposition had crossed, guaranteeing the Irish team concluded on a positive note.

"In my opinion we really performed freely and attacked the match straight from the beginning," said Farrell.

"How we handled various elements during the game, particularly the opposition responding just before half-time and regathering ourselves and giving a performance like we achieved in the second half, I believed as far as territory and being familiar with the majority of our game in that second half was truly satisfying."

The might of South Africa are next up for Ireland, in what might be viewed as an informal decider to last year's tied multiple match series on rival territory.

Farrell's team will need to attain a higher standard to beat the back-to-back world champions, but Saturday's victory of the Wallabies was a significant advancement in the correct direction after an disappointing beginning to their autumn schedule.