🔗 Share this article

Following their previous underwhelming showing against the Japanese team, the head coach challenged his Irish squad to improve their game.

The team responded right away.

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

Nevertheless, facing the Wallabies, they began strongly, with the talented back excelling brightest during a 46-19 triumph that represented Ireland's best performance of the season.

Making his first test match appearance at full-back, Hansen registered a hat-trick, competed excellently for aerial challenges and played exceptionally against the country of his birth.

"Look, I've experienced a pretty difficult run with fitness issues honestly," the athlete stated.

"I longed for being in this team, I understand there's much talk about me not exactly being raised here and I didn't grow up here, but I adore this group and this feels like family.

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

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

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

After 28 appearances on the flank, Hansen was given the full-back role for the initial time with multiple teammates unavailable.

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

The experienced player had been in superb form before injury ended his dream of joining the international team.

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

Farrell had suggested that the player was especially determined and these turned out to be not hollow statements as the former provincial player gave his coach a positive team dilemma for upcoming matches.

"Well my initial thoughts were, 'You better play excellently in those two colored shoes!'," said the coach, referring to Hansen's decision to wear mismatched footwear.

"Actually I thought that was fitting but it seems Hansen just did that himself anyway. So he's attracted attention to himself before he's even begun.

"I said to him before the match, 'Good athletes don't need justifications, they can get on with it and just be themselves, you can win the player of the game if you want,' and he responded, 'Yes, I agree.'

"So he's that kind of performer, he prepares well, he's got a great attitude to get across his detail and thus that's why he slotted straight back in and he was capable to be himself due to that."

Hansen's performance also earned praise from the opposing manager, who remarked he was the "exceptional Australian player" on the night.

"In my view he was super, his knowledge was evident to the front," commented the former national coach.

"Regrettably, Hansen was likely the best opposition performer on the pitch. He's got a great ability and he's such a good contender."

When asked about what enables the player a strong option at full-back, the coach added: "Appearing in the center of the pitch is something that he demonstrates from the wing regardless, but I suppose he's better in place for that frequently.

"His aerial work was excellent, don't you think? I believed we persisted of executing the right approach and that was placing the possession again on them to gain territory.

"The reason that was the correct thing to do is because it's the players of Hansen who was securing the balls returned, and additional players, so [it's] quite pleasing."

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

Sam Prendergast was excellent on his comeback to the number 10 position, the scrum and throw-in operated effectively and another player did not appear uncomfortable in his first start in the forwards.

But perhaps most pleasing for Farrell was Ireland bookending the game with two impressive spells.

The player's first couple of tries came in the opening 11 moments while additional players scored in the final exchanges after the other team had scored, guaranteeing the Irish side concluded on a high.

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

"How we managed numerous elements during the match, especially them responding just before the break and regathering ourselves and producing a performance like we did in the later stages, I believed as far as territory and being familiar with the majority of our strategy in that later period was truly satisfying."

The strength of South Africa are awaiting for Ireland, in what might be viewed as an unofficial conclusion to last year's tied multiple match contest on opposition soil.

Farrell's side will need to reach a higher standard to defeat the back-to-back world champions, but the recent victory of the Wallabies was a important advancement in the right path after an uninspiring start to their fall schedule.