🔗 Share this article

Following last week's underwhelming performance against the Japanese team, Andy Farrell challenged his Ireland team to improve their game.

The team responded right away.

The Irish side had faded in the final stages against New Zealand and required considerable time to find their rhythm versus Japan.

However, facing the Wallabies, they started powerfully, with the talented back shining brightest during a 46-19 triumph that represented Ireland's best performance this year.

In his first test match appearance at full-back, the player registered a hat-trick, competed excellently for high balls and performed outstandingly against the nation of his birth.

"Look, I've had a pretty challenging run with fitness issues really," Hansen stated.

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

"Any time I have to represent for the national team it's a honor, if you don't put in a good showing you may not get that privilege again.

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

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

Following twenty-eight caps on the flank, the player was entrusted the full-back role for the initial time with several teammates unavailable.

For him, it was simply a case of continuing where he left off during the warmer months.

The 28-year-old had been in excellent condition before injury ended his dream of making the international team.

After returned recently, he developed a foot problem that made him unavailable for previous fixtures.

The coach had suggested that Hansen was particularly determined and these turned out to be not empty words as the former provincial player gave his coach a positive selection dilemma for upcoming games.

"Well my initial reaction were, 'You need to perform well in those two coloured shoes!'," said Farrell, referring to the player's choice to sport mismatched footwear.

"Actually I believed that was appropriate but it seems Hansen just made that himself anyway. So he's drawn attention to himself before he's even started.

"I told to him before the match, 'Excellent players require no justifications, they can perform and just be themselves, you can win the player of the game if you want,' and he went, 'Yeah, I agree.'

"Therefore he's that kind of performer, he trains thoroughly, he's has a great attitude to get across his preparation and so that's why he slotted right into the team and he was capable to perform naturally because of that."

Hansen's performance also earned commendation from the rival coach, who remarked he was the "standout opposition performer" on the evening.

"In my view he was super, his experience showed to the front," commented the ex- international coach.

"Unfortunately, Mack was probably the standout opposition performer on the pitch. He's got a excellent skillset and he's such a strong competitor."

When asked about what makes the player a strong fit at full-back, Farrell continued: "Showing up in the middle of the field is a trait that he does from the flank anyway, but I suppose he's more in position for that frequently.

"The player's aerial play was brilliant, wasn't it? I believed we persisted of doing the right thing and that was placing the ball again on them to gain territory.

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

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

Another player was outstanding on his return to the fly-half position, the scrum and throw-in functioned smoothly and another player did not appear out of place in his first start in the forwards.

But possibly more pleasing for Farrell was Ireland bookending the game with two strong periods.

Hansen's initial two scores occurred in the first eleven minutes while additional teammates registered in the closing exchanges after the opposition had scored, ensuring the Irish team finished on a high.

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

"The way we handled numerous elements during the match, particularly the opposition responding just before half-time and regathering ourselves and giving a performance like we did in the second half, I believed as far as field position and being across the majority of our game in that second half was truly pleasing."

The might of South Africa are next up for Ireland, in what might be considered as an informal decider to the previous season's drawn two-Test contest on opposition territory.

Farrell's side will require to attain another standard to defeat the consecutive title holders, but Saturday's defeat of the Australian team was a important step in the right direction after an uninspiring start to their fall campaign.