Mack Hansen produces stellar display as Irish squad answer to Farrell's demand

After their previous disappointing showing against the Japanese team, the head coach challenged his Ireland team to improve their performance.

Ireland responded right away.

The Irish side had struggled late against the All Blacks and taken considerable time to get going versus Japan.

However, against the Wallabies, they started strongly, with Mack Hansen shining most prominently during a comprehensive victory that represented Ireland's best performance of the season.

Making his first test match start at the number 15 position, Hansen scored a hat-trick, contested brilliantly for aerial challenges and performed exceptionally against the nation of his birth.

"You know, I've experienced a pretty challenging period with fitness issues really," the athlete commented.

"I missed being in this team, I understand there's considerable talk about me not necessarily being born here and I didn't grow up here, but I adore this team and this feels like family.

"Any time I have to play for the national team it's a privilege, if you fail to deliver a performance you might not get that opportunity again.

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

Coach declared: 'Excellent athletes don't need excuses'

After twenty-eight appearances on the wing, the player was entrusted the full-back position for the first time with multiple teammates injured.

In his case, it was simply a case of picking up where he finished during the summer.

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

Having come back recently, he developed a lower body injury that made him unavailable for previous matches.

The coach had suggested that the player was especially motivated and these proved not hollow statements as the former club player gave his coach a positive team headache for future games.

"Well my initial thoughts were, 'You need to perform excellently in those two colored shoes!'," said Farrell, referring to the player's decision to wear mismatched footwear.

"Actually I believed that was fitting but it seems Hansen just did that personally regardless. So he's drawn notice to himself before he's even started.

"I said to him before the match, 'Excellent athletes don't need justifications, they can perform and just play naturally, you can win the man of the match if you want,' and he went, 'Yeah, I concur.'

"Therefore he's that type of player, he trains thoroughly, he's has a excellent attitude to understand his preparation and thus that's why he slotted straight back in and he was able to perform naturally because of that."

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

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

"Unfortunately, Mack was probably the standout Australian player on the field. He's has a excellent ability and he's such a strong contender."

Pressed about what enables the player a strong option at the number 15 position, Farrell added: "Showing up in the center of the field is a trait that he does from the flank anyway, but I imagine he's more in position for that frequently.

"His high ball play was excellent, wasn't it? I believed we persisted of doing the correct thing and that was putting the ball back on them to secure field position.

"The reason that was the right strategy to do is since it's the players of Mackie who was securing the possessions back, and other teammates, so [it's] pretty satisfying."

Beyond the star performer, there were numerous encouraging aspects for Farrell.

Another player was outstanding on his comeback to the number 10 position, the set piece and line-out operated effectively and different teammate did not appear uncomfortable in his debut appearance in the forwards.

But perhaps more pleasing for Farrell was the team bookending the game with multiple impressive spells.

Hansen's initial couple of scores came in the opening 11 moments while additional players registered in the closing stages after the opposition had scored, ensuring the Irish side finished on a positive note.

"In my opinion we really performed freely and attacked the game right from the word go," said Farrell.

"The way we handled numerous aspects throughout the game, particularly them coming back just before the break and regathering ourselves and producing a display like we did in the second half, I thought as far as territory and being familiar with most of our strategy in that later period was truly satisfying."

The strength of the Springboks are next up for Ireland, in what could be considered as an unofficial decider to last year's drawn multiple match contest on opposition soil.

The coach's side will need to attain a higher standard to defeat the back-to-back title holders, but the recent defeat of the Australian team was a important step in the correct path after an uninspiring start to their autumn schedule.