Mack Hansen delivers brilliant display as Ireland respond to coach's challenge
After their previous underwhelming performance against Japan, Andy Farrell told his Irish team to improve their game.
The team listened right away.
Ireland had faded in the final stages against the All Blacks and required considerable time to find their rhythm versus their Asian opponents.
However, against the Wallabies, they started powerfully, with Mack Hansen excelling most prominently during a 46-19 triumph that marked the team's best display this year.
In his first international appearance at the number 15 position, the player registered a hat-trick, competed excellently for aerial challenges and played exceptionally against the country of his birth.
"Look, I've had a pretty challenging run with fitness issues honestly," the athlete stated.
"I longed for being in this squad, I understand there's considerable talk about me not necessarily being raised here and I didn't grow up here, but I adore this team and this seems like family.
"Whenever I have to play for Ireland it's a honor, if you fail to deliver a good showing you may not get that opportunity again.
"My entire focus this period was to go out and perform what I could do."
Manager stated: 'Excellent players require no excuses'
Following 28 appearances on the wing, the player was given the number 15 position for the first time with multiple teammates unavailable.
For him, it was essentially a case of picking up where he finished during the warmer months.
The experienced player had been in excellent form before injury ended his dream of joining the international squad.
After returned last month, he developed a foot problem that ruled him out for previous fixtures.
The coach had suggested that the player was especially determined and these proved not hollow statements as the former provincial player gave his coach a positive team headache for upcoming games.
"Well my initial thoughts were, 'You better perform well in those two coloured boots!'," said the coach, alluding to the player's choice to sport mismatched boots.
"Actually I believed that was fitting but it seems Mack just did that personally regardless. So he's attracted notice to himself before he's even started.
"I told to him before the match, 'Good players don't need excuses, they can get on with it and just play naturally, you can win the player of the game if you want,' and he went, 'Yeah, I agree.'
"Therefore he's that kind of performer, he prepares thoroughly, he's got a excellent approach to get across his preparation and so that's why he slotted right into the team and he was able to perform naturally because of that."
The player's efforts also earned praise from the rival coach, who stated he was the "standout Australian performer" on the night.
"In my view he was outstanding, his knowledge showed to the fore," commented the ex- international manager.
"Unfortunately, Mack was probably the standout opposition player on the pitch. He's got a excellent skillset and he's such a good competitor."
Pressed about what makes Hansen a good fit at full-back, Farrell added: "Showing up in the center of the pitch is something that he demonstrates from the wing regardless, but I imagine he's more in position for that frequently.
"The player's aerial work was brilliant, don't you think? I believed we persisted of executing the correct approach and that was placing the possession back on them to gain field position.
"Why that was the correct strategy to do is because it's the players of Hansen who was securing the balls returned, and additional players, so [it's] pretty pleasing."
Outside the star performer, there were multiple encouraging aspects for Farrell.
Another player was outstanding on his comeback to the fly-half jersey, the set piece and line-out operated smoothly and different player did not appear uncomfortable in his first appearance in the forwards.
But possibly most satisfying for Farrell was Ireland bookending the game with multiple impressive spells.
The player's initial two scores came in the first 11 moments while additional players scored in the closing exchanges after the opposition had scored, ensuring the home team finished on a positive note.
"In my opinion we really performed freely and approached the game straight from the word go," said Farrell.
"The way we handled various aspects during the match, especially them coming back just before the break and reorganizing ourselves and giving a performance like we achieved in the later stages, I believed as far as field position and being across the majority of our game in that second half was really pleasing."
The strength of the Springboks are next up for Ireland, in what might be viewed as an unofficial conclusion to the previous season's drawn multiple match series on rival soil.
Farrell's team will require to attain another standard to defeat the consecutive world champions, but Saturday's victory of the Australian team was a important advancement in the correct path after an uninspiring start to their autumn schedule.