Friday 5 February 2016 18:28, UK
Tommy O'Donnell says he is delighted to return to the Ireland fold after suffering a potentially career-ending hip injury against Wales last August.
The 28 year-old back-row has put his fast recovery down to luck as he prepares to make his return to international rugby against Wales in Sunday's Six Nations opener.
"When I was lying on the turf in the Millennium Stadium, I didn't think this was possible," said O'Donnell.
"When I walk into the dressing room and see my jersey there on Sunday, it will make it all the sweeter. It will really drive me on I hope.
"It's just a huge amount of luck that I'm back in this time, a posterior dislocation like I had, it could have been far worse. I could have been never playing rugby again.
"But it was good news from the minute we went in and got the CT scan and the X-rays and after that, it was just back to strengthening. It just rolled on so quickly. It seems like a short process now, even though it was four-and-a-half months."
The Ireland international had not planned to be back for the Six Nations, as experts told him he would likely be sidelined until April at least. But he was able to return for Munster in December and his good run of form has earned him a call-up to Joe Schmidt's squad.
"I had put the Six Nations behind me. And even when I came back against Leinster in December, I didn't think about it. My only focus was just about getting back and playing," he said.
"I felt I hit the ground running in that Ulster game and it was a relief to know I hadn't left my form behind me.
"I'd concentrated on the basics and had been able to come back the same player. So it grew from then on.
"The injury really gives a sense of how hard international caps are to come by, so it makes you really savour these caps."
