Wallace gets sad, bad day out of system

AS a professional rugby player, David Wallace knows all about heartbreak.

He failed to make the 1999 World Cup squad, has seen two Heineken Cup medals snatched from his grasp and, more recently, has been plagued with a shoulder injury which may have ultimately prevented him being selected for the forthcoming World Cup.

Wallace was hugely relieved to be chosen to tour with Ireland to Australia, Tonga and Samoa this summer as it was his chance to put the bad part of the past behind him and throw down the gauntlet to Ireland’s other back row challengers for a place in the 30-man World Cup squad.