🔗 Share this article

After last week's disappointing performance against the Japanese team, Andy Farrell challenged his Ireland squad to improve their performance.

The team listened right away.

Ireland had faded late against the All Blacks and taken considerable time to get going versus their Asian opponents.

Nevertheless, facing the Wallabies, they started strongly, with Mack Hansen excelling most prominently during a comprehensive triumph that marked Ireland's best performance of the season.

Making his debut international start at the number 15 position, the player scored a three tries, competed excellently for high balls and performed exceptionally against the country of his birth.

"You know, I've experienced a fairly difficult period with fitness issues really," the athlete stated.

"I longed for being in this squad, I understand there's much discussion about me not necessarily being born here and I wasn't raised here, but I adore this team and this feels like family.

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

"My entire approach this period was to take the field and do what I can do."

Manager declared: 'Excellent players don't need justifications'

Following twenty-eight appearances on the wing, the player was entrusted the number 15 position for the initial time with several players unavailable.

For him, it was essentially a case of picking up where he left off during the warmer months.

The experienced player had been in excellent form before injury ended his aspiration of making the Test team.

After returned recently, he developed a lower body injury that ruled him out for previous fixtures.

Farrell had indicated that Hansen was particularly motivated and these proved not hollow statements as the ex- club player gave his manager a welcome selection headache for future matches.

"So my first thoughts were, 'You better play excellently in those two coloured boots!'," said Farrell, alluding to Hansen's choice to wear mismatched footwear.

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

"I told to him before the match, 'Good players don't need justifications, they can get on with it and just be themselves, you can win the man of the match if you choose,' and he responded, 'Yeah, I agree.'

"Therefore he's that type of player, he trains thoroughly, he's has a great attitude to understand his detail and so that's why he slotted right back in and he was able to be himself due to that."

Hansen's efforts also earned praise from the opposing manager, who remarked he was the "standout Australian player" on the night.

"I thought he was super, his knowledge showed to the fore," said the ex- international coach.

"Regrettably, Hansen was likely the best opposition player on the field. He's has a great ability and he's such a good competitor."

When asked about what makes Hansen a strong fit at full-back, Farrell added: "Appearing in the center of the pitch is something that he does from the flank regardless, but I suppose he's better in position for that frequently.

"His aerial work was brilliant, don't you think? I believed we didn't get bored of executing the correct thing and that was putting the ball again on them to gain field position.

"The reason that was the correct thing to do is because it's the players of Hansen who was securing the possessions returned, and other teammates, so [it's] pretty satisfying."

Outside the star performer, there were multiple encouraging aspects for the coach.

Another player was outstanding on his comeback to the fly-half position, the scrum and throw-in functioned smoothly and different player did not appear out of place in his debut start in the forwards.

But perhaps most satisfying for the manager was the team bookending the game with two strong periods.

The player's initial couple of scores occurred in the opening eleven minutes while additional players scored in the closing exchanges after the other team had scored, ensuring the Irish side finished on a positive note.

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

"How we managed various elements during the match, particularly the opposition responding just before the break and reorganizing ourselves and producing a display like we achieved in the later stages, I thought as far as territory and being familiar with the majority of our strategy in that second half was truly satisfying."

The strength of the Springboks are next up for Ireland, in what could be considered as an informal decider to last year's tied multiple match contest on rival soil.

The coach's side will need to reach a higher level to beat the back-to-back title holders, but the recent victory of the Wallabies was a significant step in the correct path after an uninspiring beginning to their autumn campaign.