Having missed the last three Magners League outings due to a right hamstring injury picked up in the defeat to Cardiff Blues, the medical staff were finally happy to let him take part in his first training session on Tuesday at Newforge.

With the Heineken Cup competition now arriving, Wallace, like every other player in the squad is keen to be involved, particularly against a great French side like Stade Francais.

He said: "If everything goes okay, then I am likely to be involved in some way.

"I certainly hope to be involved. It is a big match, it is the European Cup and everyone in the squad wants to be a part of it.

"There will be some disappointment if they are not. But that is the way it is in a squad like this."

As for the injury, Ulster had remained tight-lipped after it happened and the fear was Wallace could be out long term.

He said: "I cannot speak for the management, but I know I have never had a hamstring problem before, but it is the sort of injury that if you go back too soon you can do a lot of damage.

"If it was not 100 per cent, then I could have come back too early and if it happened again I could have been out for longer. It was important to manage the situation."

Stade come to Belfast searching for a first ever win over the Irish Province in four previous attempts.

But the form guide would point to the French club rewriting the Heineken Cup history books as they come to Ravenhill on the back of seven straight wins in their Super 14 League championship.

Ulster, on the other hand, have won one game from five starts in their domestic competition, finally breaking their duck with a 13-9 win over Edinburgh last Friday night at Ravenhill.

That result would probably be one Ulster would take against Stade this weekend.

Wallace said: "We are known as a side who lift themselves for big games and to have one of the French giants coming over with a great record, we will certainly have to.

"The Heineken Cup always brings extra excitement and it is always great to be able to play a team we do not play against that often.

"If it was Scarlets this weekend, then it would probably not be the same because we have already played them this season and do meet them regularly in our league.

"Meeting Scarlets is a big challenge, but it is one I hope to be involved in. And I also hope the crowd get out there behind us again."

It looks as though Wallace is being tailored to be a centre after spending a number of seasons at outhalf. However, while the midfield may well be his position for both Ulster and Ireland - he impressed in the middle of the backline for Ireland in summer tests against Australia and New Zealand - he is also likely to be understudy to Ronan O'Gara.

"Ronan is heads and shoulders ahead of anyone else in that position in Ireland, so the likelihood of me getting meaningful game time is pretty small.