Mack Hansen produces stellar performance as Ireland answer to Farrell's demand

After last week's underwhelming performance against Japan, the head coach challenged his Irish team to step up their performance.

The team responded immediately.

The Irish side had struggled in the final stages against New Zealand and taken considerable time to find their rhythm versus their Asian opponents.

However, facing Australia, they started powerfully, with the talented back shining most prominently during a 46-19 triumph that represented the team's finest display of the season.

In his debut test match appearance at the number 15 position, the player registered a hat-trick, contested brilliantly for high balls and played exceptionally against the country of his birth.

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

"I missed being in this team, I understand there's much discussion about me not necessarily being born here and I wasn't raised here, but I love this group and this seems 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 receive that privilege again.

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

Coach stated: 'Excellent players require no justifications'

Following 28 appearances on the flank, the player was entrusted the full-back role for the initial time with several teammates injured.

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

The experienced player had been in excellent condition before physical issues disrupted his aspiration of making the international squad.

Having come back last month, he developed a lower body injury that ruled him out for earlier fixtures.

Farrell had suggested that Hansen was particularly motivated and these turned out to be not hollow statements as the former club player gave his manager a welcome team headache for future matches.

"Well my first reaction were, 'You need to perform excellently in those two colored boots!'," commented Farrell, alluding to the player's decision to sport different boots.

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

"I said to him before the match, 'Excellent athletes don't need excuses, they can perform and just be themselves, you can win the man of the match if you choose,' and he went, 'Yes, I concur.'

"Therefore he's that type of performer, he trains well, he's has a great approach to get across his preparation and so that's why he slotted right back in and he was able to perform naturally due to that."

Hansen's performance also received commendation from the rival manager, who stated he was the "standout opposition player" on the night.

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

"Regrettably, Mack was probably the best opposition performer on the field. He's got a excellent skillset and he's such a strong contender."

When asked about what enables the player a good fit at full-back, Farrell added: "Appearing in the middle of the field is something that he does from the wing anyway, but I suppose he's better in place for that frequently.

"The player's aerial play was excellent, don't you think? I thought we didn't get bored of executing the right approach and that was putting the ball again on them to secure territory.

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

Beyond Hansen, there were multiple encouraging aspects for the coach.

Sam Prendergast was excellent on his comeback to the fly-half position, the set piece and throw-in functioned smoothly and another teammate did not appear out of place in his first appearance in the front row.

But possibly most pleasing for Farrell was Ireland bookending the match with multiple impressive spells.

Hansen's first couple of scores occurred in the first eleven moments while other teammates scored in the closing exchanges after the opposition had scored, ensuring the home team concluded on a high.

"I thought we truly performed freely and attacked the match straight from the word go," stated Farrell.

"The way we handled various elements throughout the game, especially the opposition responding just before half-time and reorganizing ourselves and giving a performance like we achieved in the later stages, I believed as far as territory and being across the majority of our game in that second half was truly satisfying."

The might of South Africa are next up for the team, in what might be viewed as an informal decider to last year's tied two-Test contest on opposition soil.

The coach's team will require to reach a higher standard to beat the consecutive world champions, but Saturday's victory of the Australian team was a significant advancement in the right path after an uninspiring start to their fall schedule.