Wallace happy to be man in the middle
For years, following his participation in Ireland’s under 19 FIRA/Youth World Cup victory back in 1998, Wallace has been struggling to earn even a slice of the type of international recognition won by his then centre colleague Brian O’Driscoll.
He has been seen by many as a talent that’s never quite lived up to expectation but he hopes that will all change — starting on Saturday against France.
His selection was not unexpected given the unavailability of Keith Earls through injury, and Gordon D’Arcy’s lack of competitive action. Also the Ulster man started Test games alongside O’Driscoll on Ireland’s summer tour to New Zealand and Australia and he emerged with considerable credit.
Wallace sees that tour as somewhat of a turning point insofar as he believes it helped propel him firmly back onto Kidney’s radar.
“I suppose it’s a relief and I’m particularly happy to get a chance in the centre. Although I was, I suppose, seen as a number 10 back up in the last couple of seasons, I’ve been playing all my recent rugby for Ulster at 12.
“I got an opportunity at 12 in the summer and I got a lot of confidence from my performances there. It was an opportunity to play outside Ronan (O’Gara) and inside Brian (O’Driscoll) and I was happy enough with the performances and experience. Over the last few months, given the improvement in form by Ulster as well, I felt I was in with a chance even though past history didn’t allow me to think too much about it.
“I’d have to be honest and say there were frustrating and hard times in the past, but I was still always glad to be where I was; it’s different if you’re not involved at all,” he said.
Wallace was chuffed with getting an opportunity to renew his long since dissolved partnership with O’Driscoll, a partnership that continued on to a successful stint with UCD whom they both helped secure promotion from Division Two of the AIB League.
He believes the two will be able to pick up the pieces. “Obviously, in Ulster I’ve been playing with Darren Cave and it takes time to build a relationship. The positive thing is that I’ve played with Brian in the past and we have done a good bit of work in training these past few days. Hopefully, we will hit the ground running on Saturday.”
Although Wallace will be grateful for the faith his U19 coach Kidney puts in him, and is looking forward to working with him again, he gives some credit for his elevation to Ulster coach Matt Williams and defensive coach Peter Sharp, who have helped spearhead that revival up north.
“I have been handed more responsibility as a senior player with Ulster and it’s good to be challenged like that; I’m expected to use my experience to carry through to the younger guys and I think I’ve probably done that pretty well this season. Hopefully I can transfer that experience through to the international team, because I’m one of the older guys there too.”
Wallace believes the bad days for Ulster are behind them. “There is no doubt we have come on a lot; for a couple of seasons there, it was hard turning up for work on a Monday after yet another defeat. It just wasn’t clicking; Matt came in and it has taken eight months or so to get the structures right. We will have hiccups along the way but we have now become very competitive and we have a young side that will only get better.”
But as he looks to a bright future for Ulster, he’s dreaming of a brighter personal one in green. Wallace recognises this could be the last chance to establish himself as a fixture in the team, rather than someone called upon to help in a crisis: “It’s a big chance, no doubt.”
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