Hansen delivers brilliant display as Ireland respond to coach's challenge

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

Ireland listened right away.

The Irish side had struggled late against the All Blacks and required most of the match to find their rhythm versus Japan.

However, facing the Wallabies, they started strongly, with the talented back shining most prominently during a comprehensive triumph that marked the team's finest performance of the season.

In his debut international appearance at the number 15 position, the player scored a hat-trick, contested excellently for aerial challenges and played outstandingly against the country of his origin.

"Look, I've experienced a pretty challenging run with injuries honestly," the athlete commented.

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

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

"My entire focus this period was to go out and perform what I can do."

Coach stated: 'Good athletes require no excuses'

Following 28 caps on the wing, Hansen was given the full-back position for the first time with multiple players unavailable.

For him, it was essentially a matter of picking up where he finished during the summer.

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

Having come back last month, he developed a foot problem that ruled him out for previous fixtures.

The coach had suggested that Hansen was especially motivated and these turned out to be not hollow statements as the ex- provincial player gave his manager a welcome team headache for upcoming games.

"So my first reaction were, 'You better play excellently in those two colored boots!'," said the coach, referring to the player's choice to sport mismatched footwear.

"In fact I believed that was fitting but it seems Mack just made that personally anyway. So he's drawn attention to himself before he's even started.

"I said to him before the game, 'Good players require no justifications, they can perform and just play naturally, you can get the player of the game if you want,' and he went, 'Yeah, I concur.'

"So he's that type of performer, he trains well, he's got a excellent attitude to get across his preparation and so that's why he slotted straight into the team and he was capable to be himself due to that."

Hansen's performance also received praise from the rival manager, who remarked he was the "exceptional Australian player" on the evening.

"In my view he was outstanding, his knowledge showed to the fore," said the ex- international coach.

"Regrettably, Mack was probably the best opposition performer on the pitch. He's got a great skillset and he's such a good contender."

Pressed about what enables Hansen a good option at full-back, the coach continued: "Showing up in the middle of the field is a trait that he demonstrates from the flank anyway, but I imagine he's better in position for that frequently.

"The player's high ball play was brilliant, wasn't it? I believed we didn't get bored of executing the correct approach and that was putting the possession back on them to secure field position.

"Why that was the correct thing to do is since it's the players of Mackie who was getting the balls back, and other players, so [it's] quite satisfying."

Beyond the star performer, there were numerous positives for Farrell.

Sam Prendergast was outstanding on his return to the fly-half jersey, the set piece and line-out functioned smoothly and different player did not look out of place in his first appearance in the forwards.

But perhaps most pleasing for the manager was the team framing the game with two strong periods.

The player's first couple of tries came in the opening eleven minutes while other players registered in the closing stages after the other team had crossed, ensuring the Irish side finished on a positive note.

"I thought we truly performed freely and approached the game straight from the beginning," stated Farrell.

"The way we handled numerous aspects during the game, especially them coming back just before half-time and regathering ourselves and producing a display like we achieved in the later stages, I thought as far as territory and being familiar with most of our strategy in that later period was really satisfying."

The might of the Springboks are next up for Ireland, in what might be viewed as an unofficial conclusion to last year's drawn multiple match contest on opposition territory.

The coach's team will require to reach a higher standard to beat the consecutive title holders, but Saturday's defeat of the Wallabies was a important step in the right direction after an disappointing start to their fall campaign.