Mack Hansen produces brilliant display as Irish squad answer to Farrell's challenge

After their previous underwhelming performance against Japan, the head coach challenged his Irish team to improve their performance.

The team responded right away.

The Irish side had struggled late against New Zealand and required considerable time to find their rhythm versus their Asian opponents.

Nevertheless, against Australia, they started strongly, with Mack Hansen shining brightest during a comprehensive triumph that represented the team's finest performance of the season.

Making his debut international start at full-back, the player scored a three tries, competed brilliantly for aerial challenges and performed exceptionally against the country of his birth.

"Look, I've experienced a pretty challenging run with injuries honestly," Hansen stated.

"I longed for being in this squad, I know there's considerable talk about me not exactly being born here and I didn't grow up here, but I love this group and this seems like home.

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

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

Manager declared: 'Good athletes require no justifications'

Following twenty-eight appearances on the flank, Hansen was entrusted the number 15 position for the first time with multiple teammates unavailable.

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

The experienced player had been in excellent form before physical issues disrupted his dream of joining the international team.

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

Farrell had suggested that the player was particularly motivated and these turned out to be not empty words as the ex- club player gave his manager a positive selection headache for upcoming matches.

"Well my first reaction were, 'You need to play excellently in those two coloured boots!'," said the coach, referring to Hansen's decision to sport mismatched footwear.

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

"I told to him before the match, 'Excellent players don't need justifications, they can perform and just play naturally, you can get the player of the game if you choose,' and he responded, 'Yeah, I concur.'

"So he's that kind of player, he prepares well, he's got a great approach to get across his preparation and thus that's why he slotted straight back in and he was capable to be himself due to that."

Hansen's efforts also earned praise from the rival manager, who stated he was the "standout Australian performer" on the evening.

"I thought he was outstanding, his experience showed to the front," commented the ex- national manager.

"Unfortunately, Mack was probably the best opposition performer on the pitch. He's has a great ability and he's such a strong contender."

Pressed about what enables the player a good fit at the number 15 position, the coach added: "Showing up in the center of the field is a trait that he demonstrates from the wing regardless, but I imagine he's better in place for that more often.

"The player's high ball work was brilliant, don't you think? I believed we didn't get bored of doing the right approach and that was placing the ball again on them to secure field position.

"Why that was the correct thing to do is since it's the players of Mackie who was securing the balls returned, and other teammates, so [it's] quite pleasing."

Beyond Hansen, there were numerous positives for the coach.

Sam Prendergast was excellent on his return to the number 10 position, the set piece and throw-in operated smoothly and another player did not appear out of place in his debut appearance in the forwards.

But perhaps more pleasing for Farrell was Ireland bookending the game with two strong periods.

Hansen's initial couple of scores came in the first eleven minutes while other players scored in the closing stages after the other team had scored, ensuring the home side finished on a positive note.

"I thought we really let ourselves go and attacked the match right from the beginning," said the coach.

"The way we managed various aspects throughout the match, particularly the opposition coming back just before the break and reorganizing ourselves and giving a performance like we did in the later stages, I thought as far as territory and being across most of our game in that later period was really pleasing."

The strength of the Springboks are awaiting for Ireland, in what could be considered as an unofficial conclusion to last year's drawn two-Test contest on rival soil.

Farrell's side will require to reach another level to defeat the consecutive world champions, but the recent victory of the Wallabies was a significant step in the correct path after an uninspiring beginning to their fall schedule.