Paul Wallace hobbled into Lansdowne Road on Saturday to take in a bit of the action involving Lansdowne and Galwegians in their Division One game. The Saracens, Ireland and Lions tighthead prop has just had the plaster cast removed on his horrific leg break and dislocated ankle sustained while playing for Saracens in a European Cup match against Ulster at Ravenhill.

He hopes to be back running again by the second week in May having returned to Dublin for the weekend to be examined by the Irish national team medical staff. He smiled when asked whether he would be returning to Ireland now that his contract with Saracens is up at the end of the season. All he managed to confirm was: "At this stage I don't know myself, honestly. I'm not being evasive."