Hansen produces stellar display as Irish squad answer to Farrell's challenge

After last week's disappointing performance against Japan, Andy Farrell challenged his Ireland team to improve their game.

Ireland listened immediately.

Ireland had struggled in the final stages against the All Blacks and taken considerable time to get going versus Japan.

Nevertheless, facing Australia, they began strongly, with Mack Hansen shining most prominently during a comprehensive triumph that marked Ireland's finest display of the season.

Making his debut international appearance at the number 15 position, Hansen registered a hat-trick, contested brilliantly for high balls and played outstandingly against the nation of his birth.

"You know, I've had a fairly challenging run with injuries honestly," the athlete stated.

"I missed being in this squad, I understand there's much discussion about me not necessarily being born here and I wasn't raised here, but I love 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 good showing you might not get that privilege again.

"My whole approach this period was to take the field and do what I could do."

Manager stated: 'Good athletes require no excuses'

After twenty-eight appearances on the wing, the player was given the number 15 position for the first time with several players injured.

For him, it was simply a matter of picking up where he left off during the summer.

The experienced player had been in excellent form before injury ended his dream of joining the Test squad.

After come back last month, he developed a foot problem that ruled him out for previous fixtures.

Farrell had suggested that the player was particularly motivated and these turned out to be not empty words as the ex- provincial player gave his coach a welcome team dilemma for upcoming games.

"Well my initial reaction were, 'You need to perform well in those two colored boots!'," said the coach, alluding to the player's choice to wear mismatched footwear.

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

"I told to him before the game, 'Excellent athletes require no justifications, they can get on with it and just be themselves, you can get the player of the game if you want,' and he responded, 'Yeah, I agree.'

"So he's that type of performer, he prepares well, he's has a excellent attitude to understand his detail and so that's why he slotted right into the team and he was able to be himself due to that."

Hansen's efforts also earned praise from the opposing coach, who remarked he was the "standout opposition player" on the evening.

"In my view he was super, his knowledge showed to the fore," commented the former national manager.

"Regrettably, Hansen was probably the best opposition player on the pitch. He's got a great skillset and he's such a strong competitor."

Pressed about what enables the player a strong fit at the number 15 position, Farrell continued: "Showing up in the middle of the field is a trait that he demonstrates from the flank regardless, but I suppose he's more in position for that frequently.

"The player's aerial work was brilliant, wasn't it? I thought we persisted of executing the correct approach and that was putting the possession again on them to secure field position.

"The reason that was the right strategy to do is because it's the players of Hansen who was securing the possessions returned, and additional teammates, so [it's] quite pleasing."

Outside Hansen, there were numerous encouraging aspects for the coach.

Another player was outstanding on his return to the fly-half position, the scrum and line-out functioned effectively and another player did not appear uncomfortable in his debut start in the front row.

But possibly most satisfying for the manager was Ireland framing the match with two impressive periods.

Hansen's first couple of scores came in the opening eleven moments while other players scored in the final stages after the opposition had scored, ensuring the Irish team concluded on a high.

"In my opinion we truly let ourselves go and attacked the game straight from the beginning," stated Farrell.

"How we handled various elements during the match, especially the opposition coming back just before half-time and reorganizing ourselves and giving a display like we achieved in the later stages, I believed as far as field position and being across most of our game in that later period was truly pleasing."

The might of the Springboks are next up for the team, in what might be viewed as an informal conclusion to the previous season's tied multiple match contest on opposition territory.

The coach's side will require to reach another level to beat the back-to-back world champions, but the recent victory of the Australian team was a significant step in the correct path after an disappointing beginning to their fall schedule.