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After last week's underwhelming performance against the Japanese team, the head coach told his Ireland team to improve their game.

The team listened right away.

Ireland had struggled in the final stages against the All Blacks and taken most of the match to get going versus Japan.

However, facing Australia, they began powerfully, with the talented back excelling brightest during a comprehensive triumph that represented Ireland's finest display of the season.

In his debut test match start at the number 15 position, Hansen scored a three tries, competed excellently for high balls and played exceptionally against the country of his origin.

"You know, I've had a pretty challenging run with fitness issues really," Hansen commented.

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

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

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

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

After 28 caps on the wing, Hansen was given the full-back role for the first time with multiple players injured.

For him, it was essentially a case of continuing where he finished during the summer.

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

Having returned recently, he suffered a lower body injury that made him unavailable for previous fixtures.

The coach had suggested that the player was especially determined and these turned out to be not hollow words as the former provincial player gave his coach a positive selection headache for future games.

"So my initial reaction were, 'You need to play well in those different coloured boots!'," said the coach, alluding to the player's choice to sport mismatched footwear.

"Actually I believed that was appropriate but apparently Hansen just made that himself anyway. So he's attracted notice to himself before he's even begun.

"I said to him before the game, 'Excellent athletes 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.'

"Therefore he's that kind of player, he prepares well, he's got a excellent approach to get across his preparation and so that's why he slotted right back in and he was capable to be himself due to that."

The player's performance also earned praise from the rival manager, who stated he was the "exceptional Australian performer" on the evening.

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

"Unfortunately, Hansen was probably the standout Australian performer on the field. He's got a great skillset and he's such a good competitor."

When asked about what makes the player a good option at the number 15 position, the coach continued: "Appearing in the center of the pitch is a trait that he demonstrates from the flank regardless, but I suppose he's more in place for that more often.

"The player's high ball play was excellent, don't you think? I believed we didn't get bored of executing the correct approach and that was putting the possession again on them to secure territory.

"Why that was the right thing to do is since it's the likes of Hansen who was securing the possessions returned, and other players, so [it's] pretty satisfying."

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

Another player was excellent on his return to the fly-half jersey, the set piece and throw-in functioned effectively and different teammate did not appear out of place in his first appearance in the front row.

But possibly more satisfying for the manager was the team bookending the match with two strong spells.

Hansen's first couple of scores came in the opening 11 minutes while other players scored in the final exchanges after the opposition had scored, ensuring the home side finished on a high.

"I thought we truly let ourselves go and attacked the game straight from the word go," said Farrell.

"The way we handled numerous aspects throughout the match, particularly them responding just before half-time and regathering ourselves and giving a display like we achieved in the second half, I believed as far as territory and being familiar with most of our game in that second half was really pleasing."

The strength of South Africa are next up for the team, in what could be considered as an informal conclusion to last year's drawn multiple match contest on opposition territory.

The coach's side will require to attain another standard to defeat the back-to-back world champions, but the recent defeat of the Australian team was a important advancement in the right direction after an uninspiring beginning to their fall campaign.