🔗 Share this article

Following last week's disappointing showing against Japan, Andy Farrell told his Ireland team to step up their game.

The team listened right away.

The Irish side had faded in the final stages against the All Blacks and taken considerable time to get going versus Japan.

However, against Australia, they began powerfully, with Mack Hansen shining most prominently during a comprehensive triumph that marked Ireland's finest display of the season.

In his first international start at full-back, the player registered a hat-trick, competed excellently for aerial challenges and performed outstandingly against the country of his origin.

"Look, I've experienced a fairly difficult period with injuries really," Hansen stated.

"I longed for being in this squad, I understand there's considerable talk about me not exactly being born here and I didn't grow up here, but I love this team and this feels like home.

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

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

Coach stated: 'Good athletes don't need excuses'

After 28 caps on the wing, Hansen was given the number 15 role for the initial time with several players unavailable.

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

The experienced player had been in superb form before physical issues disrupted his dream of joining the international team.

Having returned last month, he developed a foot problem that ruled him out for earlier matches.

The coach 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 welcome selection dilemma for future matches.

"So my initial reaction were, 'You need to play excellently in those different coloured shoes!'," said Farrell, alluding to the player's decision to wear different footwear.

"In fact I believed that was fitting but apparently Hansen just did that personally regardless. So he's attracted notice to himself before he's even started.

"I said to him before the match, 'Good players don't need justifications, they can perform and just play naturally, you can get the player of the game if you choose,' and he responded, 'Yes, I concur.'

"So he's that kind of performer, he prepares thoroughly, he's has a excellent approach to get across his detail and thus that's why he slotted right into the team and he was capable to be himself due to that."

Hansen's efforts also received commendation from the opposing manager, who remarked he was the "standout Australian player" on the night.

"In my view he was super, his knowledge was evident to the fore," commented the ex- national manager.

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

When asked about what enables Hansen a strong fit at the number 15 position, Farrell continued: "Showing up in the middle of the pitch is a trait that he does from the wing regardless, but I suppose he's better in position for that frequently.

"The player's high ball play was brilliant, don't you think? I believed we persisted of executing the right thing and that was placing the ball back on them to secure field position.

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

Outside Hansen, there were numerous encouraging aspects for Farrell.

Sam Prendergast was excellent on his comeback to the number 10 jersey, the scrum and line-out functioned effectively and different player did not appear out of place in his first appearance in the forwards.

But possibly most pleasing for Farrell was the team bookending the match with two strong spells.

Hansen's initial couple of scores came in the first 11 moments while other players scored in the final exchanges after the other team had crossed, guaranteeing the Irish side finished on a positive note.

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

"The way we managed numerous elements during the game, especially them coming back just before the break and reorganizing ourselves and producing a display like we did in the second half, I believed as far as field position and being across most of our game in that later period was truly satisfying."

The might of South Africa are next up for Ireland, in what might be viewed as an informal conclusion to the previous season's drawn two-Test series on rival territory.

Farrell's team will need to reach another level to defeat the consecutive world champions, but the recent defeat of the Wallabies was a important advancement in the correct path after an disappointing beginning to their autumn schedule.