Straining at leash after five-month hiatus

Whatever position he is required to fill, Paddy Wallace is ready to give his all for Ulster, writes GERRY THORNLEY

BETWEEN THE jigs and the reels, Paddy Wallace hasn’t started a game of rugby since April 24th, when Ulster lost at home to Cardiff Blues. Forced into a watching brief as they recorded their excellent win away to the Ospreys last weekend, he’s straining at the leash, though there’s no guarantee he’ll start at home to the early pace-setters Edinburgh tomorrow evening.

His five-month hiatus can be attributed to an end-of-season injury, the close-season and an illness in pre-season. This prompted the Ulster coach, Brian McLaughlin, to rest Wallace from the opening two games (Wallace was a replacement in the defeat away to the Dragons in round one) as part of the IRFU’s 2011 Rugby ‘player management programme’, wherein selected players are confined to starting six of the first nine matches.

Against that, there have been benefits to a long lay-off. “If I could recommend it to any rugby player I would because it really refreshes you, reinvigorates you,” he says with a smile.

“I got sick just at the end of the pre-season so I missed a complete week in bed and lost four kilos so I had to start working that back.”

“I came off the bench at fullback of all places against the Dragons unfortunately and that was a bad day. And then obviously I was rested for the Ospreys game which was fantastic for the guys to go there and win; to get that monkey off our back, wining in Wales for the first time in a long time and against a top side.

“So that has sort of reinvigorated the confidence that we built up in pre-season, when we won a few games.”

Although recalled to a 24-man squad, there’s no guarantee that he will start this weekend, given his involvement in Ireland’s two-day get together at the start of the week. Hence, he was unsure if the missed call from his coach signalled good or bad news.

“I would hope to be but I can understand, I haven’t trained all week and we didn’t train yesterday. There’s the captain’s run on Thursday and the match on Friday, and they have a winning team from last week so . . . but I’d like to play some part, be it off the bench or starting.”

A member of Ireland’s under-20 World Cup-wining squad in 1999 and the Grand Slam success last season, Wallace has represented Ireland at every level and played 122 times for his province. For much of his formative years, he was an outhalf, but latterly has become an inside centre, which seemed to suit his talents and temperament better.

However, prior to Ian Humphrey’s fine display last Saturday in Swansea, rumour had it that McLaughlin was thinking of reconverting Wallace to outhalf. “That’s up to Brian,” he merely says dutifully. “Unfortunately I haven’t been able to get much game time yet this season with one thing and another but it’s up to him. I’m going to play wherever the team needs me so if I’m called upon to play 10 I’ll be happy to do that.”

Either way, it doesn’t seem to bother him unduly. “No, I’ve played 10 all my life, up until maybe four years ago when I switched to 12 so those basic instincts are still in me. So, as I say, if I’m called on to play there, I’ll be happy to do so.”

With Jonathan Sexton emerging fast on the rails in the number 10 pecking order, how this might affect Wallace’s international prospects is a moot point, but Declan Kidney appears aware of any possible change. “Declan is a very good communicator and he knows exactly what’s going on in terms of those sort of issues with players. He keeps on top of that. We chat about it regularly so it’s no great issue.”

In any event, tomorrow night’s hosting of a buoyant Edinburgh side on a run of seven successive wins will perhaps give their fans the clearest indicator yet as to which of the side’s contrasting performances so far was the truer barometer of what is to come this season.

Ask Wallace what the new coaching ticket are seeking to change this season and, after a long pause he says “there’s an emphasis on consistency; there’s a lot of emphasis on improving our breakdown and being more aggressive in our front five. Unfortunately after a good pre-season we had a bit of blip away to the Dragons and hopefully that was just a blip, I don’t think we turned up physically on that occasion and we have fought back well.

“Against the Opsreys we showed what we had in pre-season and hopefully that will continue,” he adds. “It’s up to the senior players to drive that on.

“Last season we beat Munster down in Thomond Park but the following week we got our ass kicked, and that was all down to attitude I think on that day. We’ve got Edinburgh at home this week and hopefully we can get a win to start our campaign at Ravenhill, because we haven’t played there yet this year.”