Wallace and O’Leary can make French pay

SOME players are earmarked as future Ireland internationals from a young age. Paul O’Connell, Brian O’Driscoll, Ronan O’Gara and Luke Fitzgerald were always going to pull on a green jersey.

Their underage coaches recognised it, their clubs knew it and rugby supporters all over the country assumed it was only going to be a matter of time.

However, for some others, future international honours were never such a certainty. This week Declan Kidney selected his first Six Nations side. Two of his starting 15 have travelled a slightly rockier road than others to achieve their first start in the competition.