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Following their previous disappointing performance against Japan, the head coach challenged his Ireland team to step up their game.

The team responded immediately.

The Irish side had faded late against the All Blacks and required most of the match to get going versus Japan.

Nevertheless, against the Wallabies, they began powerfully, with the talented back excelling most prominently during a comprehensive victory that marked the team's finest performance of the season.

In his debut international appearance at the number 15 position, the player registered a three tries, contested excellently for aerial challenges and played exceptionally against the nation of his origin.

"Look, I've had a pretty challenging period with fitness issues honestly," the athlete commented.

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

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

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

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

After twenty-eight caps on the wing, the player was given the number 15 role for the first time with several players unavailable.

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

The 28-year-old had been in superb condition before physical issues disrupted his aspiration of joining the Test team.

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

Farrell had suggested that the player was particularly determined and these turned out to be not hollow words as the ex- club player gave his coach a welcome team headache for future matches.

"Well my initial reaction were, 'You need to play excellently in those different coloured shoes!'," commented Farrell, referring to Hansen's choice to sport different footwear.

"Actually I thought that was appropriate but apparently Hansen just made that himself anyway. So he's drawn attention to himself before he's even begun.

"I said 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, 'Yes, I concur.'

"So he's that kind of player, he trains thoroughly, he's has a excellent attitude to understand 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 praise from the opposing manager, who stated he was the "exceptional opposition player" on the night.

"I thought he was super, his experience was evident to the fore," commented the ex- national coach.

"Unfortunately, Hansen was likely the standout opposition player on the field. He's got a great ability and he's such a strong contender."

When asked about what makes Hansen a good option at the number 15 position, Farrell added: "Showing up in the center of the pitch is something that he demonstrates from the wing anyway, but I imagine he's more in place for that frequently.

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

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

Beyond Hansen, there were numerous positives for the coach.

Sam Prendergast was excellent on his comeback to the fly-half jersey, the scrum and throw-in operated effectively and different player did not appear out of place in his first appearance in the front row.

But perhaps most satisfying for Farrell was the team bookending the match with two strong periods.

The player's initial couple of tries came in the first eleven minutes while other players registered in the closing stages after the opposition had crossed, guaranteeing the home team concluded on a positive note.

"I thought we really let ourselves go and approached the game straight from the beginning," said the coach.

"The way we managed numerous aspects throughout the game, especially the opposition responding just before half-time and reorganizing ourselves and producing a performance like we achieved in the later stages, I believed as far as field position and being familiar with most of our strategy in that second half was truly satisfying."

The strength of the Springboks are next up for Ireland, in what might be considered as an unofficial decider to the previous season's tied two-Test contest on rival soil.

The coach's side will require to attain a higher level to defeat the back-to-back world champions, but the recent defeat of the Wallabies was a significant advancement in the right path after an disappointing start to their fall campaign.