Hansen produces stellar performance as Irish squad respond to coach's demand

Following their previous disappointing performance against the Japanese team, the head coach told his Irish team to improve their performance.

The team listened right away.

The Irish side had struggled late against New Zealand and required most of the match to find their rhythm versus Japan.

However, facing the Wallabies, they started powerfully, with Mack Hansen excelling most prominently during a comprehensive triumph that represented the team's best display of the season.

Making his debut test match appearance at the number 15 position, the player scored a hat-trick, contested brilliantly for high balls and performed exceptionally against the nation of his origin.

"Look, I've experienced a fairly difficult run with injuries honestly," Hansen commented.

"I longed for being in this team, I understand there's considerable discussion about me not exactly being born here and I didn't grow up here, but I adore this team and this feels like home.

"Whenever I have to play for Ireland it's a privilege, if you don't put in a performance you might not get that privilege again.

"My entire approach this period was to go out and do what I could do."

Coach stated: 'Good players require no excuses'

After twenty-eight appearances on the flank, Hansen was entrusted the full-back position for the first time with multiple players unavailable.

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

The experienced player had been in excellent condition before injury disrupted his dream of joining the international team.

After returned recently, he suffered a foot problem that ruled him out for earlier matches.

Farrell had suggested that Hansen was particularly determined and these proved not empty statements as the former provincial player gave his manager a positive selection dilemma for upcoming matches.

"So my first reaction were, 'You better play well in those two colored boots!'," commented the coach, alluding to the player's decision to wear different footwear.

"In fact I believed that was appropriate but it seems Hansen just did that personally anyway. So he's drawn attention to himself before he's even started.

"I said 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 went, 'Yeah, I agree.'

"Therefore he's that kind of player, 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 capable to perform naturally due to that."

Hansen's efforts also earned commendation from the opposing manager, who remarked he was the "exceptional opposition player" on the evening.

"In my view he was super, his knowledge was evident to the front," commented the former national manager.

"Unfortunately, Mack was probably the best Australian player on the pitch. He's has a excellent skillset and he's such a strong contender."

Pressed about what enables the player a good option at full-back, Farrell continued: "Showing up in the middle of the pitch is a trait that he demonstrates from the flank regardless, but I suppose he's more in place for that more often.

"The player's aerial work was excellent, 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.

"Why that was the right thing to do is since it's the likes of Hansen who was getting the balls returned, and additional players, so [it's] pretty satisfying."

Outside the star performer, there were multiple encouraging aspects for Farrell.

Sam Prendergast was excellent on his comeback to the fly-half jersey, the scrum and throw-in functioned effectively and another teammate did not look out of place in his debut appearance in the front row.

But possibly more satisfying for Farrell was the team framing the match with two strong periods.

Hansen's first two tries came in the first 11 minutes while additional teammates registered in the closing stages after the other team had scored, ensuring the Irish side finished on a positive note.

"I thought we truly performed freely and approached the game straight from the word go," stated Farrell.

"The way we handled various aspects during the game, particularly them responding just before half-time and regathering ourselves and giving a performance like we achieved in the later stages, I thought as far as territory and being across most of our strategy in that later period was really pleasing."

The strength of South Africa are next up for Ireland, in what might be viewed as an informal decider to last year's tied multiple match contest on opposition territory.

Farrell's team will need to reach a higher level to defeat the consecutive title holders, but the recent defeat of the Wallabies was a significant step in the right direction after an uninspiring start to their fall schedule.