Paul Wallace has achieved most ambitions as an international rugby player - he toured with the 1997 Lions to South Africa winning the series 2-1 and this is quite apart from having played for Ireland at sundry levels, including captaining his country.

He could therefore have been forgiven for taking his demotion to the A side for last Friday night's international against Scotland perhaps a little petulantly. Instead he responded in the manner in which both senior coach Warren Gatland and his A team counterpart Declan Kidney would have hoped.

The Saracens prop worked hard on behalf of the team and was one of the game's outstanding performers, both in the tight and the loose. His performance seemed more compatible with those of yesteryear when he made his reputation as an excellent ball carrier. His attitude should see him press John Hayes to try and reclaim his place in the senior team.