Wallace wins Ireland recall

David Wallace was brought back into the Ireland fold today as coach Eddie O’Sullivan plotted an unlikely RBS 6 Nations Championship triumph.

The Munster flanker was a surprise absentee from the Irish World Cup squad last autumn but after Keith Gleeson was ruled out of Saturday’s last-day clash with Scotland with a broken arm, O’Sullivan turned to Wallace to fill the back-row vacancy.

It will be Wallace’s first international appearance since a try-scoring outing in the final World Cup friendly against the Scots at Murrayfield which many thought had earned him a place on the plane to Australia.

Instead, Wallace found himself watching at home on television as Ireland advanced to the quarter-finals.

He may yet gain ample compensation for that disappointment though because if the Irish were to record a massive win against the hapless and pointless Scottish side, victory for England over title favourites France in Paris could hand Ireland their first championship since 1985.

Even if the ultimate prize proves a step too far, O’Sullivan’s side should still register their first Triple Crown for 19 years and only their seventh of all time.

Lock Paul O’Connell has recovered from his rib problem and replaces Donnacha O’Callaghan, while skipper Brian O’Driscoll becomes the third-quickest player in history to reach the 50-cap mark.

IRELAND: G Dempsey (Leinster); S Horgan (Leinster), G D’Arcy (Leinster), B O’Driscoll (Leinster, capt), G Murphy (Leicester); R O’Gara (Munster), P Stringer (Munster), R Corrigan (Leinster), J Hayes (Munster), S Byrne (Leinster), P O’Connell (Munster), M O’Kelly (Leinster), S Easterby (Llanelli), D Wallace (Munster), A Foley (Munster).

Replacements: F Sheahan (Munster), Marcus Horan (Munster), D O’Callaghan (Munster), V Costello (Leinster), G Easterby (Rotherham), D Humphreys (Ulster), K Maggs (Bath).