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Following last week's underwhelming showing against the Japanese team, the head coach challenged his Ireland team to step up their game.

The team listened immediately.

Ireland had faded late against the All Blacks and taken considerable time to get going versus their Asian opponents.

Nevertheless, facing the Wallabies, they started strongly, with the talented back excelling most prominently during a comprehensive triumph that marked Ireland's best display this year.

In his first test match appearance at the number 15 position, the player scored a three tries, contested excellently for aerial challenges and played outstandingly against the country of his birth.

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

"I longed for being in this squad, I know there's much discussion about me not necessarily being raised here and I wasn't raised here, but I adore this group and this seems like family.

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

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

Manager declared: 'Excellent players require no excuses'

After twenty-eight caps on the flank, the player was entrusted the full-back role for the first time with multiple teammates injured.

In his case, it was essentially a case of picking up where he left off during the warmer months.

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

After returned last month, he developed a lower body problem that made him unavailable for previous fixtures.

The coach had indicated that Hansen was especially determined and these proved not hollow words as the former provincial player gave his coach a welcome team dilemma for future matches.

"So my first thoughts were, 'You need to play excellently in those different coloured shoes!'," commented Farrell, referring to the player's decision to sport mismatched footwear.

"Actually I believed that was appropriate but apparently Hansen just made that personally anyway. So he's attracted notice to himself before he's even begun.

"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 responded, 'Yeah, I concur.'

"So he's that kind of performer, 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 capable to be himself due to that."

Hansen's performance also received praise from the opposing coach, who stated he was the "exceptional Australian player" on the night.

"I thought he was super, his knowledge showed to the front," commented the former national manager.

"Regrettably, Hansen was probably the standout Australian player on the pitch. He's has a excellent skillset and he's such a good competitor."

When asked about what makes the player a strong option at full-back, the coach continued: "Showing up in the center of the pitch is something that he demonstrates from the flank anyway, but I imagine he's more in position for that frequently.

"His aerial work was excellent, don't you think? I thought we persisted of doing the right thing and that was placing the ball back on them to gain field position.

"Why that was the correct thing to do is because it's the players of Hansen who was securing the possessions back, and additional players, so [it's] quite satisfying."

Beyond the star performer, there were numerous positives for Farrell.

Another player was excellent on his comeback to the number 10 position, the scrum and line-out functioned effectively and another player did not appear out of place in his first appearance in the front row.

But perhaps most pleasing for Farrell was the team bookending the game with multiple impressive periods.

The player's first couple of tries occurred in the first eleven minutes while additional players scored in the closing stages after the other team had scored, ensuring the Irish side concluded on a positive note.

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

"The way we handled numerous elements during the match, especially the opposition responding just before the break and reorganizing ourselves and producing a performance like we did in the later stages, I thought as far as field position and being across most of our strategy in that second half was truly pleasing."

The strength of South Africa are awaiting for the team, in what might be considered as an unofficial decider to last year's drawn two-Test series on opposition soil.

The coach's side will need to reach a higher standard to defeat the consecutive world champions, but the recent victory of the Wallabies was a important step in the correct direction after an uninspiring start to their autumn schedule.