🔗 Share this article

Following last week's disappointing showing against Japan, Andy Farrell challenged his Irish team to improve their game.

The team responded right away.

Ireland had faded late against the All Blacks and required considerable time to get going versus Japan.

Nevertheless, facing Australia, they started strongly, with the talented back shining most prominently during a 46-19 triumph that marked the team's best display of the season.

In his debut test match appearance at the number 15 position, Hansen scored a hat-trick, contested excellently for high balls and played outstandingly against the country of his origin.

"You know, I've had a pretty challenging period with injuries honestly," Hansen commented.

"I longed for being in this squad, I know there's considerable talk about me not necessarily being born here and I wasn't raised here, but I adore this group and this feels like family.

"Any time I have to represent for Ireland it's a privilege, if you fail to deliver a good showing you may not receive that privilege again.

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

Coach declared: 'Good players require no excuses'

After twenty-eight appearances on the flank, Hansen was given the number 15 role for the first time with multiple teammates unavailable.

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

The 28-year-old had been in excellent condition before physical issues ended his aspiration of making the international team.

After returned recently, he developed a lower body problem that ruled him out for earlier matches.

Farrell had suggested that Hansen was especially determined and these proved not hollow statements as the ex- provincial player gave his manager a positive team headache for upcoming matches.

"So my initial reaction were, 'You better play well in those different colored shoes!'," commented Farrell, referring to the player's choice to sport mismatched boots.

"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 begun.

"I told to him before the match, 'Excellent athletes require no justifications, they can get on with it and just play naturally, you can get the player of the game if you want,' and he responded, 'Yes, I agree.'

"So he's that type of player, he prepares thoroughly, he's got a great approach to understand his detail and so that's why he fitted right into the team and he was capable to be himself because of that."

Hansen's performance also received commendation from the opposing coach, who remarked he was the "standout Australian player" on the evening.

"I thought he was super, his knowledge was evident to the fore," said the former national coach.

"Unfortunately, Mack was likely the best opposition performer on the field. He's got a great skillset and he's such a good contender."

When asked about what makes Hansen a strong fit at the number 15 position, Farrell added: "Appearing in the center of the field is a trait that he demonstrates from the flank regardless, but I suppose he's better in place for that frequently.

"His high ball work was brilliant, 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 territory.

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

Outside Hansen, there were multiple positives for Farrell.

Sam Prendergast was excellent on his return to the fly-half position, the set piece and line-out operated smoothly and another teammate did not look out of place in his first appearance in the forwards.

But perhaps most satisfying for Farrell was Ireland framing the match with multiple impressive periods.

Hansen's first two tries came in the first eleven minutes while additional teammates scored in the closing stages after the opposition had crossed, ensuring the home team concluded on a high.

"I thought we truly performed freely and attacked the game straight from the beginning," said the coach.

"The way we managed various elements during the game, particularly them coming back just before the break and regathering ourselves and producing a display like we achieved in the later stages, I believed as far as field position and being across most of our strategy in that second half was truly pleasing."

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

Farrell's team will need to attain a higher standard to defeat the back-to-back world champions, but Saturday's victory of the Australian team was a important advancement in the right path after an disappointing start to their fall campaign.