🔗 Share this article

Following their previous disappointing showing against Japan, Andy Farrell challenged his Ireland squad to step up their performance.

Ireland listened immediately.

Ireland had faded in the final stages against the All Blacks and required considerable time to get going versus their Asian opponents.

However, against Australia, they started strongly, with Mack Hansen shining brightest during a 46-19 triumph that represented the team's best performance of the season.

In his debut test match start at full-back, Hansen scored a hat-trick, contested excellently for aerial challenges and performed outstandingly against the nation of his birth.

"You know, I've had a fairly challenging period with fitness issues honestly," the athlete 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 adore this group and this feels like family.

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

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

Coach stated: 'Excellent players don't need excuses'

Following twenty-eight appearances on the wing, the player was given the full-back position for the first time with several teammates injured.

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

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

After come back recently, 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 statements as the ex- club player gave his coach a positive team headache for upcoming matches.

"Well my first thoughts were, 'You better perform excellently in those two colored shoes!'," commented the coach, referring to the player's choice to sport different footwear.

"In fact I thought that was fitting but it seems Hansen just did that himself regardless. So he's drawn attention to himself before he's even begun.

"I said to him before the match, 'Good players don't need excuses, they can perform and just play naturally, you can get the player of the game if you choose,' and he responded, 'Yes, I agree.'

"So he's that type of performer, he trains well, he's has a great attitude to understand his detail and thus that's why he slotted straight back in and he was capable to perform naturally due to that."

The player's performance also earned commendation from the opposing coach, who remarked he was the "exceptional Australian player" on the night.

"In my view he was super, his knowledge was evident to the front," said the ex- international coach.

"Unfortunately, Mack was probably the standout Australian player on the field. He's has a great skillset and he's such a strong contender."

When asked about what makes Hansen a good fit at the number 15 position, the coach continued: "Showing up in the center of the pitch is a trait that he does from the wing anyway, but I suppose he's more in place for that more often.

"The player's high ball play was brilliant, wasn't it? I believed we didn't get bored of executing the correct thing and that was putting the ball back on them to gain territory.

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

Outside Hansen, there were numerous positives for Farrell.

Sam Prendergast was excellent on his comeback to the fly-half position, the scrum and line-out functioned smoothly and different teammate did not look out of place in his debut start in the forwards.

But possibly most pleasing for the manager was Ireland framing the match with multiple impressive periods.

Hansen's initial two scores occurred in the first 11 minutes while other players registered in the final exchanges after the opposition had scored, ensuring the home side concluded on a positive note.

"In my opinion we truly performed freely and attacked the game right from the beginning," stated Farrell.

"How we managed various aspects throughout the game, especially them coming back just before half-time and regathering ourselves and producing a display like we did in the later stages, I believed as far as field position and being familiar with the majority of our strategy in that later period was truly pleasing."

The might of South Africa are next up for the team, in what could be viewed as an unofficial decider to last year's tied multiple match series on rival territory.

Farrell's side will require to attain a higher level to defeat the back-to-back title holders, but the recent victory of the Australian team was a significant step in the correct path after an disappointing beginning to their autumn campaign.