🔗 Share this article

After their previous disappointing performance against the Japanese team, Andy Farrell challenged his Ireland squad to improve their performance.

The team responded right away.

The Irish side had struggled in the final stages against New Zealand and required most of the match to find their rhythm versus their Asian opponents.

However, against the Wallabies, they started strongly, with Mack Hansen shining brightest during a 46-19 triumph that marked Ireland's best performance this year.

Making his debut international start at the number 15 position, the player registered a three tries, contested excellently for aerial challenges and performed exceptionally against the nation of his origin.

"You know, I've had a pretty difficult period with fitness issues really," Hansen commented.

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

"Whenever I get to represent for Ireland it's a honor, if you don't put in a performance you may not get that opportunity again.

"My whole approach this week was to go out and perform what I could do."

Coach stated: 'Good players require no excuses'

After twenty-eight caps on the flank, Hansen was entrusted the number 15 role for the first time with several players unavailable.

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

The experienced player had been in superb form before physical issues disrupted his dream of joining the Test squad.

After returned last month, he developed a foot injury that ruled him out for earlier matches.

Farrell had suggested that Hansen was particularly determined and these turned out to be not hollow statements as the ex- provincial player gave his coach a welcome selection dilemma for future games.

"Well my first thoughts were, 'You need to perform well in those different colored boots!'," commented the coach, alluding to the player's choice to wear different boots.

"Actually I thought that was appropriate but apparently Mack just did that personally regardless. So he's attracted notice to himself before he's even begun.

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

"Therefore he's that type of player, he prepares thoroughly, he's has a excellent approach to understand his preparation and thus that's why he fitted right into the team and he was capable to be himself because of that."

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

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

"Regrettably, Hansen was likely the best opposition player on the field. He's has a excellent skillset and he's such a good contender."

Pressed about what makes Hansen a good fit at the number 15 position, Farrell added: "Showing up in the middle of the field is something that he does from the wing anyway, but I imagine he's better in position for that more often.

"His high ball play was excellent, wasn't it? I believed we persisted of executing the right approach and that was placing the possession back on them to gain field position.

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

Beyond the star performer, there were multiple positives for the coach.

Another player was outstanding on his return to the fly-half jersey, the set piece and line-out functioned smoothly and another player did not appear uncomfortable in his debut appearance in the front row.

But perhaps most pleasing for the manager was Ireland framing the game with two impressive spells.

The player's first two scores occurred in the first 11 moments while other teammates scored in the closing exchanges after the opposition had scored, guaranteeing the Irish team concluded on a high.

"I thought we really let ourselves go and approached the match straight from the word go," stated the coach.

"The way we handled numerous aspects throughout the match, particularly the opposition coming back just before the break and reorganizing ourselves and giving a performance like we achieved in the later stages, I thought as far as field position and being across most of our strategy in that second half was really pleasing."

The strength of the Springboks are next up for Ireland, in what could be considered as an informal conclusion to the previous season's tied multiple match series on opposition soil.

Farrell's team will require to attain a higher standard to defeat the back-to-back title holders, but the recent victory of the Australian team was a significant step in the right direction after an uninspiring beginning to their autumn campaign.