Wallace still has a Spring in his step
That sentiment, of course, stands out for some players more than others but there is little doubt one man carrying an extra responsibility is open-side flanker David Wallace.
He comes face-to-face once again with the dashing South African number seven Heinrich Brussow and if he can trim his sails in the breakdown, then Ireland will be well on their way to a fourth victory over the Springboks in the 19th meeting of the countries.
Wallace and Brussow clashed in the summer South Africa-Lions series in which both were outstanding. However, their contrasting styles meant that while the Irishman was seen to best effect in open play with his powerful running and huge tackle count, Brussow did his best work on the ground. As Wallace prepares for his 53rd cap, he is fully aware of the challenge.
“Brussow is building a big reputation for himself,” he acknowledged. “He’s one of those low-to-the-ground kind of guys. He snaffles ball really quickly and for me and the rest of the team, we have to be watching for that. When somebody goes into contact, we can’t leave a second before the support comes in. We’ve got to come in over the ball and be efficient in that area.
“I would rate him highly. If you leave him there, he’s very hard to move, you’ve got to get in at the same time or before to get him out. He’s cut from the same cloth as the Australian David Pocock, very good at the breakdown as well.”
Wallace could hardly be blamed if he was becoming just a little tired of being told he isn’t an out-and-out number seven, that for all his pace and strength, somehow he doesn’t get to the breakdown as quickly as necessary.
“For years, I’ve been getting that,” he acknowledges. “Sometimes it’s a little harsh. It’s always an area that needs some work because it doesn’t come naturally to me but when you focus on it, you can do just as good a job.”
Given that “Wally” has passed his 33rd birthday, he could have been the “senior Irish player” who, according to the Springbok captain John Smit in his recent autobiography, turned down an invitation for the Lions to go for a beer after the Tests last summer.
“I don’t think there’s anything in that, just somebody trying to sell books or whatever,” he laughs. “I wasn’t aware of any invitations about going for a beer after games and I’m certainly not that senior Irish player.
“It was strange because we didn’t have a function together until after the last game. By then we were on an end of tour buzz and they were heading into the Tri-Nations and so we were on different mindsets. They were focusing on the next challenge so it was a little difficult in that sense. But I wouldn’t say there was animosity or anything.”
The physicality of Springboks teams has long been recognised and the present group of players is no different. Could it be that some of the fire has been doused at the end of a long season and on a tour in which they haven’t always been at their best.
“I wouldn’t believe for a second that they won’t be fired up for this game,” Wallace declared. “They’ll be very aware that it has been billed as the Grand Slam champions against the Tri-Nations/World Cup champions. They will certainly be turning up and really wanting to win. It’s up to us to stand up to that.
“They’re very physical with world-class players who can turn a game. There’s a big step in physicality when you play them and they do the basics very well and can score if you make the slightest mistake.
“They are the world champions but we try not to focus too much on that … it’s a big game in that sense and what’s going on in the background with the media and public makes it enough of a task as it stands. For the Lions guys in our team, it’s a case of you lost the series and you’re playing them again so it’s a brilliant place to be to get a win this time.”
David Wallace and Ronan O’Gara have played so often together for Munster and Ireland, and you would expect the flanker to be a little unsettled by his old friend’s absence on Saturday.
“It will be a little strange but Jonny is a fabulous player as well. Jonny has stood up to the mark and it’s great for him and a tough period for Ronan but he’s so headstrong and such a class player that he will bounce back.”
At 33, it would be reasonable to as that Wallace is approaching the end of his career. But he is probably playing as well as ever so it is impossible to gauge how long more he has at the top. He has no intention of winding down and indeed he is training harder now than he has ever done.
“You don’t want to remain the same player mentally or physically,” he says. “It’s very much a personal thing, how you’re really feeling about your own game, how your body is physically. You have to be greedy in what you want to achieve from your career and keep wanting more. That’s certainly how we looked at it last year and coming into this year. Put to one side anything you’ve won or achieved up to now because you want to get as much as you can from the rest of your career. When you retire, you can look back on all those things but it doesn’t help to think about them while playing.
“I am working with physios and doing a lot of core work. I do a session a week for a stiff back and strengthening those areas and I’ve started this year doing a lot more strengthening and stretching. It has made a big difference and is probably more important for me than weights at this stage.”
And the outcome on Saturday? “The team that wants it more will win.”
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