Hansen delivers stellar display as Irish squad respond to coach's demand
After their previous disappointing showing against the Japanese team, Andy Farrell challenged his Ireland squad to step up their performance.
The team listened immediately.
The Irish side had struggled late against the All Blacks and taken considerable time to find their rhythm versus their Asian opponents.
Nevertheless, facing Australia, they began powerfully, with Mack Hansen excelling brightest during a comprehensive triumph that represented the team's best performance of the season.
Making his debut test match appearance at the number 15 position, Hansen scored a hat-trick, competed excellently for aerial challenges and played exceptionally against the country of his birth.
"You know, I've had a pretty challenging period with injuries honestly," the athlete commented.
"I missed being in this squad, I know there's much talk about me not exactly being born here and I wasn't raised here, but I adore this group and this feels like home.
"Any time I get to play for Ireland it's a privilege, if you don't put in a good showing you might not get that privilege again.
"My entire focus this week was to go out and do what I could do."
Manager stated: 'Excellent players require no justifications'
After twenty-eight appearances on the wing, the player was entrusted the full-back role for the initial time with multiple teammates unavailable.
In his case, it was simply a case of picking up where he finished during the summer.
The 28-year-old had been in superb condition before physical issues disrupted his aspiration of making the international team.
After returned recently, he developed a foot problem that made him unavailable for earlier fixtures.
Farrell had suggested that Hansen was especially determined and these proved not empty statements as the ex- provincial player gave his manager a positive selection headache for future matches.
"So my first thoughts were, 'You better play well in those different colored shoes!'," said the coach, alluding to the player's decision to wear different boots.
"Actually I thought that was appropriate but it seems Hansen just did that personally regardless. So he's attracted attention to himself before he's even begun.
"I said to him before the game, 'Good players require no justifications, they can get on with it and just be themselves, you can win the man of the match if you choose,' and he went, 'Yes, I concur.'
"So he's that kind of player, he trains well, he's got a excellent attitude to understand his preparation and so that's why he fitted right back in and he was capable to be himself due to that."
Hansen's performance also earned praise from the opposing manager, who stated he was the "exceptional Australian performer" on the evening.
"I thought he was super, his knowledge showed to the fore," commented the former national manager.
"Unfortunately, Hansen was likely the standout Australian performer on the field. He's has a excellent skillset and he's such a strong competitor."
Pressed about what enables the player a strong option at full-back, Farrell added: "Appearing in the center of the field is a trait that he demonstrates from the flank anyway, but I suppose he's more in position for that frequently.
"His high ball work was excellent, wasn't it? I believed we persisted of executing the correct thing and that was placing the possession back on them to secure field position.
"The reason that was the right thing to do is since it's the players of Hansen who was getting the possessions back, and additional players, so [it's] quite satisfying."
Outside Hansen, there were multiple positives for Farrell.
Sam Prendergast was outstanding on his return to the number 10 position, the scrum and line-out functioned effectively and different teammate did not appear out of place in his first start in the front row.
But perhaps more satisfying for Farrell was Ireland framing the game with multiple strong spells.
The player's first two scores occurred in the opening eleven minutes while additional teammates registered in the closing exchanges after the other team had crossed, guaranteeing the home team concluded on a high.
"In my opinion we truly let ourselves go and attacked the game straight from the beginning," stated the coach.
"How we managed various aspects during the game, especially them coming back just before the break and reorganizing ourselves and producing a display like we did in the later stages, I believed as far as field position and being familiar with most of our strategy in that later period was truly satisfying."
The might of South Africa are awaiting for Ireland, in what might be viewed as an unofficial decider to the previous season's tied two-Test series on opposition soil.
Farrell's team will require to attain another level to defeat the consecutive world champions, but the recent victory of the Australian team was a important step in the right path after an disappointing start to their fall schedule.