THE town of Bloemfontein in the heart of South Africa's Free State will always hold special memories for Paul Wallace, the Blackrock College tight head prop. It was in Bloemfontein that Wallace (24), made his debut for Ireland in the World Cup against Japan last May.

What made his debut in the national team extra special for the Wallace family was that Paul's older brother Richard" was also in the side; so they became the latest entry in the long list of brothers who haven't played for Ireland.

When they played that afternoon, they became the first pair of brothers to play together for Ireland since the Doyles, Mick and Tom, played against Wales in Dublin in 1968. Ireland won that afternoon and Ireland won against Japan with the Wallace boys in the team.

"Winning a first cap is always very special. It obviously added to the significance of it for me that Richard was also in the side," said Paul, an official with the First National Building Society, who will get his fifth cap against England at Twickenham on Saturday.

Richard will not be in the side this time he will have played for the A side the previous afternoon in Richmond. "It would be nice were Richard also in the side on Saturday, but you cannot have everything and I am delighted to be playing at Twickenham."

If Ireland wins the A international it will mean a Triple Crown at this level, and the Wallace brothers will have shared in that achievement. Paul was on the side that beat Scotland A in January, when Richard was on the senior side that lost to the Scots in the championship. Richard was also in the Ireland side that lost out to France, but Peter Clohessy was tight head prop on that Ireland side, as he had been against the Scots. When Clohessy was suspended after the match against France, Paul Wallace was the obvious replacement for the match against Wales, but Richard had lost out to Niall Woods on the senior side and played with Ireland A in the win over the Welsh. Paul maintained a great record in the Ireland jersey when he was on the team that beat Wales last Saturday week.

That was his fourth cap but his first championship appearance. In addition to playing against Japan; he was also on the side that beat Fiji and the United States, before Clohessy was recalled for the first match of the championship against Scotland. Thus Paul Wallace has a 100 per cent record for Ireland, played four and won four.

"It would be great to make that five out of five on Saturday and I sincerely hope we do. But three of those wins in which I played were not against what one could call the big powers of the game," said he modestly.

"Playing against England at Twickenham will be my biggest test and represents a great challenge for me and for the team. It would be a great way to end the international season by beating England." If that happens then like Richard, he will have been on an Ireland side that won at Twickenham. Richard was on the side that won 13-12 two years ago.

Whatever lies ahead it has been a great season for Wallace, a man who has played for Ireland at every level, schools, under 21, development, A, senior and Universities. He also played in the Students World Cup in 1992, while a student at UCC, the club he played for before he moved to Dublin and joined Blackrock College. He was an outstanding schools player at Crescent College and helped the school to win the Monster Schools Senior Cup twice.

Born in Cork, he was a pupil at Rochestown College before the family moved to Limerick. He played for Monster at senior level while a student at UCC, before declaring for Leinster this season, and was in the Leinster team that won the Interprovincial Championship and reached the semi final of the European Cup.

He played at A level three times last season and for the combined provinces against Northern Transvaal. When Clohessy was unable to go to the World Cup for business reasons, Wallace was chosen. "That was a lucky break for me. Had Peter been available to go to South Africa I would not have got in."

"The circumstances in which I was recalled are unfortunate, and I must say I do have sympathy for Peter Clohessy. He was caught doing something that was wrong. But I think some of the reporting was totally overboard. When one remembers what was done to Peter in France two years earlier, none of those people who were targeting him recently called for any disciplinary action against the French.

"I am not defending stamping or what Peter did, but there seems to me to be a total lack of consistency in the punishment handed out."

Wallace is a prime target for English clubs, notably Saracens, but he has not made a decision about moving to play his club rugby in England. "I will definitely not be making any move in the short term, or have made any definite decision. I intend to leave the decision as long as possible. I am not going to rush into anything.

Wallace has played on Ireland sides that have defeated England at lower levels, but, as he says, "A win on Saturday would be really special."

It would be all of that and keep Wallace's 100 per cent record intact.