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After last week's underwhelming performance against Japan, the head coach challenged his Irish team to step up their performance.

The team responded immediately.

The Irish side had struggled in the final stages against New Zealand and required considerable time to get going versus their Asian opponents.

However, facing the Wallabies, they started powerfully, with Mack Hansen shining most prominently during a 46-19 victory that marked the team's best performance this year.

Making his debut international start at the number 15 position, Hansen scored a three tries, competed brilliantly for high balls and performed exceptionally against the nation of his origin.

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

"I missed being in this team, I know there's much discussion about me not exactly being raised here and I wasn't raised here, but I love this group and this seems like family.

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

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

Manager declared: 'Excellent players don't need justifications'

Following 28 caps on the wing, Hansen was entrusted the number 15 role for the first time with multiple teammates injured.

In his case, it was simply a case of picking up where he finished during the warmer months.

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

After come back recently, he suffered a foot injury that made him unavailable for previous fixtures.

The coach had suggested that Hansen was particularly motivated and these turned out to be not hollow statements as the former club player gave his manager a positive selection headache for future matches.

"So my initial reaction were, 'You need to play excellently in those two coloured boots!'," said Farrell, referring to the player's choice to wear mismatched footwear.

"In fact I believed that was fitting but apparently Mack just did that himself regardless. So he's drawn attention to himself before he's even begun.

"I said to him before the game, 'Excellent players require no justifications, they can perform and just play naturally, you can get the man of the match if you want,' and he responded, 'Yes, I agree.'

"So he's that type of player, he trains well, he's has a great approach to get across his detail and so that's why he fitted straight back in and he was capable to perform naturally because of that."

The player's performance also earned praise from the rival manager, who remarked he was the "standout Australian player" on the night.

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

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

Pressed about what makes the player a good option at the number 15 position, Farrell added: "Showing up in the middle of the field is a trait that he demonstrates from the flank anyway, but I suppose he's more in place for that more often.

"The player's high ball play was brilliant, don't you think? I believed we didn't get bored of doing the correct thing and that was placing the ball again on them to secure field position.

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

Outside the star performer, there were numerous encouraging aspects for Farrell.

Sam Prendergast was outstanding on his comeback to the number 10 jersey, the scrum and line-out functioned smoothly and another player did not look out of place in his first appearance in the forwards.

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

Hansen's first two tries occurred in the first 11 minutes while other teammates registered in the final stages after the opposition had scored, guaranteeing the Irish side concluded on a high.

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

"How we handled various aspects during the game, particularly them responding just before half-time and reorganizing ourselves and producing a performance like we did in the later stages, I thought as far as field position and being familiar with most of our strategy in that second half was truly satisfying."

The strength of South Africa are next up for the team, in what could be viewed as an informal decider to the previous season's tied two-Test contest on opposition soil.

Farrell's side will need to reach a higher level to beat the back-to-back world champions, but the recent victory of the Wallabies was a significant advancement in the correct path after an disappointing start to their autumn schedule.