Mack Hansen delivers stellar performance as Irish squad answer to coach's challenge

Following last week's disappointing showing against the Japanese team, the head coach challenged his Irish team to improve their performance.

Ireland listened immediately.

The Irish side had faded in the final stages against the All Blacks and taken considerable time to find their rhythm versus Japan.

However, against the Wallabies, they began powerfully, with Mack Hansen shining most prominently during a 46-19 triumph that represented the team's best performance this year.

Making his first international start at the number 15 position, the player registered a hat-trick, competed brilliantly for aerial challenges and played exceptionally against the nation of his birth.

"You know, I've experienced a pretty difficult period with injuries really," Hansen stated.

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

"Whenever I have to represent for the national team it's a honor, if you fail to deliver a performance you might not get that opportunity again.

"My whole focus this period was to go out and perform what I can do."

Manager stated: 'Excellent players don't need justifications'

Following 28 caps on the flank, the player was given the number 15 role for the initial time with several teammates unavailable.

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

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

After come back last month, he developed a lower body problem that made him unavailable for previous fixtures.

The coach had suggested that Hansen was especially determined and these turned out to be not empty statements as the ex- provincial player gave his manager a welcome team headache for upcoming games.

"So my initial reaction were, 'You need to perform excellently in those two coloured boots!'," commented the coach, alluding to the player's choice to wear mismatched boots.

"Actually I thought that was fitting but apparently Mack just made that personally regardless. So he's drawn notice to himself before he's even started.

"I said to him before the game, 'Good athletes require no excuses, they can perform and just play naturally, you can win the player of the game if you choose,' and he responded, 'Yes, I concur.'

"So he's that kind of performer, he prepares well, he's has a great attitude to get across his detail and thus that's why he fitted right into the team and he was able to be himself due to that."

The player's performance also earned praise from the rival coach, who remarked he was the "standout opposition performer" on the evening.

"In my view he was super, his experience showed to the front," commented the ex- international coach.

"Unfortunately, Mack was probably the standout Australian player on the pitch. He's got a great skillset and he's such a strong contender."

When asked about what enables Hansen a strong option at full-back, Farrell added: "Appearing in the middle of the field is a trait that he demonstrates from the flank anyway, but I imagine he's more in place for that more often.

"The player's aerial play was brilliant, wasn't it? I thought we persisted of doing the correct approach and that was putting the ball again on them to secure territory.

"Why that was the right thing to do is since it's the players of Mackie who was getting the balls returned, and other teammates, so [it's] pretty pleasing."

Outside the star performer, there were multiple positives for Farrell.

Sam Prendergast was excellent on his return to the fly-half jersey, the set piece and line-out operated smoothly and another teammate did not appear out of place in his first appearance in the forwards.

But perhaps more pleasing for Farrell was Ireland bookending the match with two impressive periods.

The player's initial two scores came in the first eleven minutes while additional teammates scored in the closing exchanges after the other team had scored, ensuring the Irish team concluded on a high.

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

"How we managed numerous aspects during the match, particularly them coming back just before the break and regathering ourselves and producing a display like we achieved in the second half, I believed as far as territory and being familiar with the majority of our game in that later period was truly pleasing."

The strength of South Africa are awaiting for Ireland, in what might be considered as an informal conclusion to the previous season's drawn two-Test contest on rival territory.

The coach's side will require to attain another level to defeat the consecutive title holders, but Saturday's defeat of the Australian team was a significant step in the correct path after an disappointing start to their autumn campaign.