🔗 Share this article

After last week's disappointing showing against the Japanese team, the head coach told his Irish squad to improve their game.

The team responded immediately.

The Irish side had faded late against New Zealand and required most of the match to find their rhythm versus Japan.

However, facing Australia, they began powerfully, with Mack Hansen excelling most prominently during a comprehensive victory that marked the team's best performance of the season.

In his debut test match appearance at the number 15 position, the player registered a three tries, competed brilliantly for high balls and played exceptionally against the country of his birth.

"Look, I've had a pretty difficult run with fitness issues honestly," Hansen commented.

"I missed being in this squad, I understand there's considerable talk about me not necessarily being raised here and I didn't grow up here, but I love this group and this feels like home.

"Whenever I have to play for the national team it's a honor, if you fail to deliver a good showing you might not get that privilege again.

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

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

After twenty-eight caps on the flank, the player was entrusted 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 warmer months.

The experienced player had been in excellent condition before physical issues ended his dream of making the Test team.

After come back last month, he developed a foot injury that ruled him out for earlier fixtures.

The coach had suggested that the player was particularly motivated and these turned out to be not hollow statements as the former club player gave his manager a welcome selection headache for future games.

"So my first reaction were, 'You better perform well in those two colored boots!'," commented Farrell, alluding to Hansen's decision to wear different boots.

"Actually I believed that was fitting but apparently Mack just made that himself regardless. So he's drawn notice to himself before he's even started.

"I told to him before the game, 'Excellent players require no justifications, they can get on with it and just play naturally, you can get the man of the match if you want,' and he responded, 'Yes, I agree.'

"Therefore he's that kind of performer, he prepares well, he's has a great approach to understand his detail and thus that's why he slotted right into the team and he was able to perform naturally because of that."

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

"In my view he was outstanding, his knowledge showed to the front," commented the former national coach.

"Regrettably, Hansen was probably the best Australian performer on the pitch. He's got a excellent skillset and he's such a strong contender."

Pressed about what makes Hansen a strong option at full-back, Farrell continued: "Showing up in the center of the field is something that he does from the wing regardless, but I imagine he's better in position for that frequently.

"The player's aerial work was brilliant, wasn't it? I thought we didn't get bored of executing the correct approach and that was placing the ball again on them to secure territory.

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

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

Another player was excellent on his return to the fly-half position, the set piece and line-out functioned effectively and another teammate did not appear uncomfortable in his debut appearance in the front row.

But possibly most satisfying for Farrell was Ireland bookending the match with multiple impressive periods.

Hansen's first couple of scores came in the opening 11 moments while additional teammates registered in the closing exchanges after the other team had scored, ensuring the home team concluded on a positive note.

"In my opinion we really let ourselves go and approached the match straight from the word go," said Farrell.

"The way we managed numerous elements throughout the match, especially them responding just before half-time and reorganizing ourselves and producing a display like we did in the later stages, I believed as far as field position and being familiar with most of our game in that later period was truly pleasing."

The might of the Springboks are next up for Ireland, in what could be considered as an unofficial decider to the previous season's tied multiple match series on opposition soil.

Farrell's side will need to attain a higher standard to defeat the consecutive world champions, but Saturday's victory of the Wallabies was a important advancement in the correct direction after an uninspiring beginning to their autumn campaign.