Ireland's flanks take another blow

Ireland flanker David Wallace is battling to be be fit to face Australia on Saturday after suffering a calf strain.

Ireland flanker David Wallace is battling to be be fit for Saturday's one-off Test against Australia in Melbourne.

The 31-year-old has been nursing a calf strain all week but caretaker coach Michael Bradley is hopeful the player will be passed fit to start against the Wallabies.

“We have a little concern with David Wallace, he has a calf strain and he didn't run with the team today,” Bradley said.

“He did some running on his own and we will have another look at David this afternoon to see if he has any reaction to the running.”

“He was pretty much up to full speed today and, subject to there being no reaction to that, we are hopeful that David will be all right.”

Inexperienced flanker Shane Jennings has been placed on standby to replace Wallace in the starting line-up, but both John Hayes and Donncha O'Callaghan trained strongly and will be fit to start the clash.

Ireland have played six Tests in 2008, managing two wins against Scotland and Italy, with losses to France, Wales, England and most recently New Zealand.

Having already endured a long season that included a lengthy Heineken Cup campaign for many players, Ireland will face a Wallabies side will be playing their first Test of 2008.

Despite coming to the end of their season, Bradley said that the coaching staff had been monitoring the Irish players for fatigue and he does not believe it will be an issue on Saturday night.

“We are very mindful that it is coming to the end of a long season and the coaching staff has curtailed the nature of the sessions,” Bradley said.

“We have still got the quality in the sessions and the players have done what they have needed to do.”

“We are monitoring the players and the mood is very positive within the camp and we are looking forward to giving a good account of ourselves on Saturday.”

Bradley said the players appeared fresh and he expects their professionalism to shine through in what is expected to be a high-scoring match.

“There is an in-built state of mind with any Irishman when they put on the green jersey,” Bradley said.

“This particular group of players coming off the back of the Heineken Cup and there are a lot of perfectionists among the players.”

“If you watch the training sessions, at the end of the sessions they are all doing individual drills and we don't ask them to do that. They do it themselves. The ambition for this group of players is very high.”

“The coaching staff have the ability to tap into that and hopefully we get a performance like that.”