Mack Hansen produces brilliant display as Irish squad answer to coach's demand

After their previous underwhelming showing against the Japanese team, Andy Farrell challenged his Irish team to step up their performance.

The team listened immediately.

The Irish side had struggled late against the All Blacks and required considerable time to get going versus Japan.

Nevertheless, facing Australia, they began strongly, with Mack Hansen excelling brightest during a comprehensive victory that marked Ireland's finest performance this year.

Making his first test match start at full-back, the player scored a hat-trick, contested brilliantly for aerial challenges and performed outstandingly against the country of his birth.

"Look, I've had a fairly difficult run with fitness issues really," the athlete stated.

"I missed being in this squad, I know there's much talk about me not exactly being raised here and I didn't grow up here, but I adore this team and this seems like home.

"Whenever I get to represent for the national team it's a privilege, if you don't put in a performance you may not get that privilege again.

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

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

After twenty-eight caps on the flank, the player was entrusted the number 15 position for the initial time with multiple players injured.

In his case, it was essentially a matter of continuing where he left off during the summer.

The 28-year-old had been in excellent condition before injury ended his aspiration of joining the international squad.

Having come back last month, he suffered a foot injury that made him unavailable for previous matches.

The coach had suggested that the player was particularly motivated and these proved not empty statements as the former club player gave his manager a welcome team dilemma for future games.

"So my initial thoughts were, 'You need to perform well in those different coloured shoes!'," said the coach, alluding to the player's choice to sport mismatched footwear.

"In fact I thought that was fitting but it seems Hansen just did that himself regardless. So he's drawn attention to himself before he's even started.

"I told to him before the game, 'Excellent athletes don't need justifications, they can perform and just be themselves, you can win the player of the game if you choose,' and he went, 'Yes, I agree.'

"Therefore he's that type of player, he prepares thoroughly, he's got a excellent attitude to understand his preparation and so that's why he fitted straight into the team and he was capable to be himself because of that."

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

"I thought he was super, his knowledge showed to the front," said the former national manager.

"Unfortunately, Hansen was likely the best opposition player on the pitch. He's got a excellent skillset and he's such a strong competitor."

Pressed about what enables the player a good fit at the number 15 position, Farrell added: "Appearing in the center of the pitch is a trait that he demonstrates from the wing regardless, but I suppose he's more in position for that frequently.

"The player's high ball work was excellent, wasn't it? I believed we didn't get bored of doing the correct thing and that was placing the ball again on them to secure field position.

"Why that was the right thing to do is since it's the players of Mackie who was securing the possessions back, and other players, so [it's] pretty pleasing."

Beyond Hansen, there were numerous positives for the coach.

Another player was outstanding on his return to the number 10 jersey, the set piece and line-out functioned smoothly and another player did not appear out of place in his first appearance in the front row.

But perhaps more satisfying for the manager was Ireland framing the match with two strong spells.

Hansen's initial two scores occurred in the first 11 minutes while additional teammates registered in the closing stages after the opposition had scored, ensuring the home team concluded on a positive note.

"I thought we truly let ourselves go and approached the game right from the word go," said the coach.

"The way we managed numerous aspects throughout the match, especially them responding just before the break and reorganizing ourselves and giving a display like we achieved in the later stages, I believed as far as field position and being familiar with the majority of our game in that second half was really satisfying."

The might of the Springboks are awaiting for the team, in what could be considered as an informal decider to the previous season's tied two-Test series on opposition soil.

The coach's side will need to reach a higher level to defeat the back-to-back world champions, but Saturday's victory of the Wallabies was a significant step in the correct path after an uninspiring beginning to their autumn schedule.