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After their previous disappointing showing against Japan, Andy Farrell told his Irish squad to improve their game.

The team responded immediately.

The Irish side had struggled in the final stages against New Zealand and required most of the match to get going versus their Asian opponents.

Nevertheless, against Australia, they started strongly, with the talented back excelling brightest during a comprehensive victory that represented the team's finest display of the season.

In his first international start at full-back, the player scored a hat-trick, competed excellently for high balls and played outstandingly against the country of his origin.

"You know, I've experienced a pretty difficult run with fitness issues honestly," Hansen stated.

"I missed 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 adore this team and this seems like home.

"Any time I get to represent for the national team it's a privilege, if you don't put in a good showing you might not receive that privilege again.

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

Coach declared: 'Good players require no justifications'

Following 28 appearances on the flank, Hansen was entrusted the full-back position for the first time with several players unavailable.

In his case, it was essentially a matter of picking up where he left off during the warmer months.

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

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

The coach had suggested that the player was particularly motivated and these proved not empty words as the former provincial player gave his coach a positive selection dilemma for upcoming games.

"Well my initial reaction were, 'You need to play well in those different coloured shoes!'," commented the coach, referring to Hansen's decision to wear mismatched boots.

"In fact I thought that was appropriate but apparently Hansen just did that himself anyway. So he's drawn attention to himself before he's even begun.

"I told to him before the game, 'Good players don't need justifications, they can perform and just play naturally, you can get the man of the match if you choose,' and he went, 'Yes, I agree.'

"Therefore he's that kind of performer, he prepares well, he's has a great approach to understand his detail and so that's why he slotted straight back in and he was capable to perform naturally because of that."

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

"In my view he was super, his experience was evident to the front," said the former international coach.

"Unfortunately, Hansen was probably the standout Australian player on the field. He's got a great ability and he's such a good competitor."

Pressed about what makes the player a good fit at full-back, Farrell continued: "Appearing in the center of the pitch is a trait that he does from the wing anyway, but I suppose he's better in place for that more often.

"The player's high ball work was excellent, wasn't it? I thought we didn't get bored of executing the right thing and that was putting the ball back on them to gain field position.

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

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

Another player was outstanding on his return to the number 10 jersey, the set piece and throw-in functioned smoothly and another teammate did not appear out of place in his debut appearance in the front row.

But perhaps most pleasing for Farrell was the team framing the match with multiple strong spells.

Hansen's initial two scores occurred in the opening eleven moments while additional teammates registered in the closing exchanges after the other team had scored, guaranteeing the home side concluded on a high.

"In my opinion we really let ourselves go and approached the game right from the beginning," said the coach.

"The way we handled various elements during the match, especially them responding just before half-time and reorganizing ourselves and producing a performance like we achieved in the later stages, I believed as far as field position and being across the majority of our game in that second half was truly pleasing."

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

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