🔗 Share this article

After last week's disappointing performance against Japan, Andy Farrell told his Irish squad to step up their performance.

The team responded right away.

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

However, facing Australia, they started powerfully, with the talented back shining most prominently during a comprehensive victory that represented the team's best performance this year.

In his first international start at full-back, Hansen scored a three tries, contested brilliantly for aerial challenges and played outstandingly against the country of his birth.

"Look, I've had a fairly challenging period with fitness issues honestly," the athlete stated.

"I missed being in this squad, I know there's much talk about me not necessarily being born here and I wasn't raised here, but I adore this team and this feels like home.

"Whenever I have to play for Ireland it's a honor, if you fail to deliver a performance you might not receive that privilege again.

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

Coach stated: 'Good athletes require no excuses'

After twenty-eight caps on the wing, Hansen was given the number 15 role for the initial time with multiple teammates injured.

For him, it was essentially a case of picking up where he left off during the warmer months.

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

After come back recently, he suffered a lower body problem that made him unavailable for previous fixtures.

The coach had indicated that Hansen was particularly determined and these turned out to be not empty statements as the former club player gave his coach a positive selection headache for future matches.

"So my first thoughts were, 'You need to play well in those different coloured boots!'," said the coach, referring to the player's choice to wear mismatched boots.

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

"I told to him before the match, 'Excellent players require no justifications, they can get on with it and just be themselves, you can win the man of the match if you choose,' and he responded, 'Yeah, I agree.'

"Therefore he's that kind of performer, he trains thoroughly, he's got a excellent approach to get across his preparation and so that's why he fitted straight back in and he was able to perform naturally due to that."

Hansen's performance also received praise from the opposing coach, who remarked he was the "standout opposition player" on the night.

"In my view he was outstanding, his knowledge showed to the fore," said the former international coach.

"Unfortunately, Hansen was likely the standout opposition performer on the field. He's got a excellent skillset and he's such a good competitor."

Pressed about what makes Hansen a strong fit at full-back, Farrell added: "Appearing in the center of the field is something that he demonstrates from the flank regardless, but I imagine he's more in place for that frequently.

"His high ball play was excellent, don't you think? I believed we persisted of executing the right approach and that was putting the possession back on them to gain territory.

"Why that was the correct thing to do is since it's the players of Hansen who was getting the possessions back, and other teammates, so [it's] pretty pleasing."

Outside the star performer, there were numerous encouraging aspects for the coach.

Another player was outstanding on his return to the fly-half jersey, the set piece and line-out functioned effectively and different player did not look out of place in his first start in the front row.

But possibly more satisfying for Farrell was the team framing the match with multiple impressive spells.

Hansen's initial two scores occurred in the opening 11 minutes while other players scored in the closing stages after the other team had scored, guaranteeing the home side finished on a positive note.

"I thought we truly performed freely and approached the match right from the beginning," stated Farrell.

"The way we handled various aspects throughout the game, particularly them coming back just before the break and regathering ourselves and giving a display like we achieved in the second half, I thought as far as territory and being familiar with most of our strategy in that second half was truly pleasing."

The might of South Africa are awaiting for Ireland, in what could be viewed as an unofficial conclusion to the previous season's drawn multiple match series on opposition territory.

The coach's side will require to attain another level to beat the consecutive title holders, but Saturday's victory of the Australian team was a significant step in the right path after an uninspiring start to their autumn schedule.