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Following last week's disappointing showing against Japan, Andy Farrell challenged his Irish squad to step up their performance.

The team listened right away.

Ireland had struggled late against New Zealand and required considerable time to get going versus their Asian opponents.

Nevertheless, against Australia, they began strongly, with the talented back shining brightest during a comprehensive victory that represented Ireland's finest performance this year.

In his first test match start at the number 15 position, the player scored a hat-trick, competed brilliantly for aerial challenges and played outstandingly against the nation of his origin.

"Look, I've had a pretty difficult period with fitness issues honestly," Hansen stated.

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

"Whenever I get to represent for the national team it's a privilege, if you fail to deliver a performance you may not receive that privilege again.

"My whole approach this period was to go out and perform what I could do."

Manager stated: 'Good players require no excuses'

Following twenty-eight appearances on the wing, Hansen was entrusted the full-back role for the first time with several players unavailable.

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

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

After come back last month, he developed a foot injury that ruled him out for earlier fixtures.

Farrell had indicated that Hansen was particularly determined and these proved not empty statements as the ex- club player gave his coach a positive selection headache for upcoming games.

"So my initial thoughts were, 'You better play well in those different coloured boots!'," commented Farrell, referring to Hansen's decision to wear different 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 started.

"I told to him before the match, 'Good athletes don't need excuses, they can perform and just be themselves, you can win the man of the match if you choose,' and he went, 'Yeah, I agree.'

"So he's that kind of player, he trains well, he's has a excellent attitude to get across his detail and so that's why he slotted straight back in and he was capable to be himself because of that."

Hansen's efforts also received praise from the opposing manager, who remarked he was the "exceptional Australian player" on the evening.

"I thought he was super, his experience showed to the front," commented the ex- international manager.

"Regrettably, Hansen was probably the best Australian performer on the pitch. He's has a great ability and he's such a good contender."

Pressed about what makes the player a strong option at the number 15 position, Farrell added: "Appearing in the middle of the field is something that he demonstrates from the flank regardless, but I suppose he's more in position for that more often.

"His aerial play was excellent, don't you think? I believed we persisted of executing the right approach and that was putting the possession back on them to secure territory.

"Why that was the correct thing to do is since it's the likes of Hansen who was getting the balls back, and additional players, so [it's] quite pleasing."

Outside the star performer, there were multiple encouraging aspects for the coach.

Sam Prendergast was outstanding on his return to the fly-half position, the set piece and line-out functioned effectively and different teammate did not appear uncomfortable in his first appearance in the front row.

But perhaps more pleasing for Farrell was the team bookending the match with two impressive periods.

Hansen's initial couple of scores occurred in the first 11 minutes while other players scored in the closing stages after the opposition had crossed, guaranteeing the Irish side concluded on a positive note.

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

"The way we managed various aspects throughout the game, particularly them coming back just before half-time and reorganizing ourselves and giving a performance like we did in the second half, I believed as far as field position and being across most of our strategy in that second half was truly pleasing."

The strength of the Springboks are next up for the team, in what could be considered as an unofficial conclusion to the previous season's tied two-Test series on rival soil.

Farrell's team will require to attain a higher level to defeat the back-to-back title holders, but the recent victory of the Australian team was a significant advancement in the correct path after an disappointing start to their fall campaign.