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Following last week's underwhelming performance against the Japanese team, Andy Farrell challenged his Irish squad to step up their performance.

Ireland responded right away.

Ireland had faded late against the All Blacks and taken most of the match to find their rhythm versus Japan.

However, facing the Wallabies, they started powerfully, with the talented back shining most prominently during a 46-19 victory that represented the team's best performance of the season.

Making his debut test match appearance at full-back, the player scored a three tries, competed excellently for high balls and played outstandingly against the nation of his origin.

"Look, I've had a fairly challenging run with injuries really," Hansen stated.

"I missed being in this team, I understand there's considerable talk about me not necessarily being raised here and I didn't grow up here, but I adore this group and this seems like family.

"Whenever I get to represent for Ireland it's a honor, if you fail to deliver a good showing you may not get that privilege again.

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

Manager declared: 'Good players don't need excuses'

After 28 caps on the wing, Hansen was entrusted the full-back role for the first time with several teammates unavailable.

For him, it was essentially a case of picking up where he finished during the summer.

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

After come back recently, he suffered a foot problem that made him unavailable for earlier fixtures.

The coach had suggested that the player was especially motivated and these turned out to be not empty words as the former provincial player gave his manager a welcome team headache for upcoming matches.

"Well my initial thoughts were, 'You better perform excellently in those different colored boots!'," said the coach, referring to the player's choice to wear different footwear.

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

"I told to him before the game, 'Good athletes require no excuses, they can get on with it and just be themselves, you can win the player of the game if you choose,' and he went, 'Yes, I concur.'

"Therefore he's that kind of performer, he trains well, he's got a great approach to get across his detail and thus that's why he slotted straight into the team and he was able to be himself due to that."

The player's performance also received praise from the rival manager, who stated he was the "standout Australian player" on the evening.

"In my view he was outstanding, his experience showed to the fore," commented the former national manager.

"Regrettably, Hansen was likely the standout opposition performer on the pitch. He's got a great ability and he's such a strong competitor."

Pressed about what makes the player a good fit at the number 15 position, the coach added: "Appearing in the center of the pitch is something that he demonstrates from the wing anyway, but I suppose he's better in position for that more often.

"The player's high ball play was brilliant, don't you think? I believed we persisted of doing the right thing and that was placing the ball back on them to secure field position.

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

Beyond Hansen, there were numerous encouraging aspects for Farrell.

Sam Prendergast was outstanding on his return to the fly-half jersey, the set piece and line-out operated effectively and different teammate did not look out of place in his debut appearance in the front row.

But possibly most satisfying for the manager was Ireland bookending the game with multiple strong periods.

The player's first two scores came in the first 11 minutes while additional players registered in the closing exchanges after the opposition had crossed, guaranteeing the Irish side concluded on a positive note.

"I thought we really let ourselves go and attacked the game straight from the word go," stated Farrell.

"The way we handled numerous elements during the game, particularly them responding just before the break and reorganizing ourselves and giving a performance like we did in the second half, I thought as far as territory and being across most of our strategy in that later period was truly satisfying."

The might of South Africa are awaiting for Ireland, in what could be considered as an informal conclusion to the previous season's drawn two-Test series on opposition territory.

Farrell's side will need to attain a higher standard to defeat the consecutive title holders, but the recent victory of the Wallabies was a important advancement in the right path after an disappointing beginning to their fall schedule.