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After their previous underwhelming performance against the Japanese team, Andy Farrell challenged his Ireland squad to improve their game.

Ireland listened right away.

Ireland had faded in the final stages against New Zealand and taken most of the match to get going versus Japan.

However, against the Wallabies, they started strongly, with the talented back shining brightest during a comprehensive victory that marked Ireland's finest performance this year.

Making his first test match start at full-back, Hansen registered a hat-trick, contested brilliantly for aerial challenges and performed exceptionally against the nation of his birth.

"You know, I've had a pretty difficult run with fitness issues honestly," Hansen stated.

"I missed being in this team, I know there's considerable discussion about me not necessarily being born here and I didn't grow up here, but I adore this team and this seems like home.

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

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

Coach stated: 'Good players don't need justifications'

After 28 caps on the wing, Hansen was entrusted the full-back role for the first time with multiple players injured.

For him, it was simply a case of picking up where he left off during the summer.

The 28-year-old had been in superb form before injury disrupted his dream of joining the Test team.

Having come back last month, he suffered a lower body injury that ruled him out for previous fixtures.

The coach had indicated that the player was especially motivated and these turned out to be not empty words as the ex- provincial player gave his coach a welcome team headache for upcoming games.

"So my initial thoughts were, 'You better perform excellently in those different colored boots!'," commented the coach, referring to Hansen's decision to sport mismatched footwear.

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

"I told to him before the match, 'Excellent athletes require no justifications, they can perform and just play naturally, you can win the player of the game if you choose,' and he went, 'Yes, I agree.'

"Therefore he's that kind of performer, he trains thoroughly, he's got a great approach to get across his detail and so that's why he fitted straight back in and he was able to perform naturally because of that."

The player's performance also received praise from the rival coach, who remarked he was the "standout Australian player" on the evening.

"I thought he was outstanding, his experience showed to the fore," commented the ex- national coach.

"Unfortunately, Hansen was probably the best Australian player on the field. He's got a great skillset and he's such a strong contender."

When asked about what makes Hansen a strong option at full-back, the coach continued: "Appearing in the center of the field is a trait that he does from the wing anyway, but I suppose he's more in position for that frequently.

"His aerial play was brilliant, wasn't it? I thought we didn't get bored of doing the right approach and that was putting the ball 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 securing the possessions back, and additional teammates, so [it's] pretty satisfying."

Beyond Hansen, there were numerous positives for the coach.

Sam Prendergast was outstanding on his comeback to the fly-half position, the scrum and line-out functioned smoothly and different teammate did not appear out of place in his first start in the front row.

But perhaps more satisfying for the manager was Ireland bookending the match with multiple impressive spells.

Hansen's first couple of scores came in the first 11 moments while other teammates scored in the final exchanges after the other team had crossed, ensuring the Irish team finished on a positive note.

"In my opinion we really let ourselves go and attacked the match right from the word go," said the coach.

"The way we handled various aspects throughout the game, particularly them coming back just before half-time and reorganizing ourselves and producing a display like we did in the later stages, I thought as far as field position and being across most of our strategy in that later period was truly satisfying."

The strength of South Africa are next up for Ireland, in what could be viewed as an unofficial decider to the previous season's drawn two-Test series on opposition territory.

Farrell's side will need to reach another level to defeat the back-to-back title holders, but Saturday's defeat of the Australian team was a important step in the right direction after an disappointing beginning to their autumn campaign.