🔗 Share this article

Following their previous disappointing performance against the Japanese team, Andy Farrell challenged his Irish squad to step up their performance.

Ireland responded immediately.

Ireland had struggled in the final stages against the All Blacks and taken considerable time to find their rhythm versus Japan.

Nevertheless, against the Wallabies, they started powerfully, with the talented back excelling brightest during a comprehensive victory that marked Ireland's finest performance of the season.

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

"Look, I've experienced a fairly challenging run with injuries really," Hansen stated.

"I missed being in this squad, I know there's much discussion about me not necessarily being raised here and I didn't grow up here, but I adore this team and this seems like home.

"Whenever I get to play for Ireland it's a honor, if you fail to deliver a performance you might not receive that opportunity again.

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

Manager stated: 'Good players require no excuses'

After twenty-eight caps on the wing, Hansen was given the full-back role for the initial time with several teammates injured.

In his case, it was simply a matter of continuing where he left off during the summer.

The experienced player had been in excellent form before injury disrupted his dream of joining the Test squad.

After returned recently, he suffered a foot injury that made him unavailable for previous matches.

Farrell had suggested that Hansen was especially determined and these turned out to be not hollow words as the ex- provincial player gave his coach a positive selection dilemma for future games.

"So my first reaction were, 'You need to perform excellently in those two coloured shoes!'," said the coach, alluding to Hansen's decision to sport different boots.

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

"I said to him before the game, 'Excellent athletes require no excuses, they can perform and just be themselves, you can win the man of the match if you want,' and he responded, 'Yeah, I agree.'

"Therefore he's that type of performer, he prepares thoroughly, he's has a great approach to get across his preparation and thus that's why he slotted right into the team and he was able to perform naturally due to that."

Hansen's efforts also earned commendation from the opposing manager, who stated he was the "exceptional opposition performer" on the evening.

"I thought he was super, his experience showed to the front," said the former international manager.

"Unfortunately, Mack was likely the best opposition player on the field. He's has a great ability and he's such a good contender."

Pressed about what enables the player a good option at full-back, the coach added: "Appearing in the middle of the pitch is a trait that he does from the wing regardless, but I suppose he's more in place for that more often.

"His aerial play was brilliant, don't you think? I thought we didn't get bored of executing the right approach and that was placing the ball back on them to secure field position.

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

Beyond the star performer, there were multiple positives for the coach.

Another player was excellent on his return to the number 10 jersey, the scrum and throw-in functioned smoothly and different player did not look out of place in his debut appearance in the forwards.

But perhaps most pleasing for the manager was Ireland framing the game with two impressive periods.

The player's initial couple of tries came in the first eleven minutes while additional players scored in the final stages after the opposition had crossed, ensuring the Irish team finished on a positive note.

"In my opinion we truly let ourselves go and attacked the match right from the word go," said Farrell.

"How we managed numerous elements during the match, especially the opposition coming back just before half-time and regathering ourselves and producing a performance like we achieved in the second half, I thought as far as field position and being across the majority of our strategy in that later period was truly satisfying."

The strength of South Africa are awaiting for Ireland, in what might be viewed as an unofficial decider to the previous season's tied two-Test series on opposition soil.

The coach's side will need to attain a higher level to beat the back-to-back title holders, but Saturday's victory of the Australian team was a significant step in the right direction after an disappointing start to their autumn campaign.