PAUL O’CONNELL has never shied away from a challenge so there was only ever going to be one answer to a query about whether he would be capable of starting Sunday’s Heineken Cup match against the Ospreys at Thomond Park.
He would feel confident – but he expanded on that assertion by explaining the situation is unlikely to arise this weekend.
Individually praising Munster’s roster of secondrows by name and singling out attributes he added that half a match for Young Munster and his provincial return to competitive rugby against Cardiff last weekend, again as a replacement, is not a sufficiently compelling argument to muscle his way past other contenders. The bench is his likely starting point.
“I don’t think I’ll be needed to start, but if I was I don’t think I would have a problem with it. I may struggle for 80 minutes, but I wouldn’t struggle to start, no. I think there’s a level of secondrow performance there from the lads, and I need to get my fitness and my sharpness back to that level.”
When will he be in a position to lead the team out on to the pitch?
“I’m not too sure at the moment, really. That would be up to the physios and the coaches. At the moment, coming off the bench is ideal for me, and clocking up minutes that way.
“I need a run of three or four games where I am playing 60 or 70 minutes, really, that’s realistic. I have done a lot of fitness work and I have a good training history from 10 years as a professional so, hopefully, once I do get back playing and starting, whoever it will be for, it (match fitness) will come fairly quickly.”
O’Connell said the most galling aspect of a long layoff was the nature of the injury itself and the slow rehabilitation journey.
“It was a very tough time. I think you can pick up a long-term injury and you could be out for six months and while it is very frustrating, if you know from day one, what you have and what you are dealing with, you have a time frame and it is easier to get on with it; whereas I didn’t have that until about three months into the injury. That was the frustrating part of it. I have had other injuries where I have broken my hand; you’d be out for nine or 10 weeks, but you are able to train and work hard. The injury for me entailed about half an hour of physio a day, doing very little else.”
His patience and dedication, though, was rewarded as he went from the periphery of team affairs to his more customary role.
“You are sitting in the back of meetings and you feel like you have plenty to say, but you are not involved in the game so you have to let guys get on with it themselves. And in terms of training, watching from the sideline, you do really have a big urge to get involved and I suppose the longer that is held back the more, when you do get involved, you want to do.
“I have a big appetite for training and doing a few extras and doing a few bits with Micko (O’Driscoll) this week in the lineout, to take the pressure off him. Yeah, I’m enjoying being back and enjoying doing all the bits that I have not been able to do for a long time.”
He’s within touching distance and the way he was embraced by the Munster supporters when introduced against Cardiff merely heightens that desire. “It was a great reception, nice to come back in a home game. It’s something I will remember for a long time. I came on for a four man and called it on myself, managed to win it, just about, which was good.”
He may not have to wait too much longer to stockpile more playing mementos; a talismanic presence from the first whistle.
* France’s Christophe Berdos has replaced Dave Pearson as referee for Sunday’s Heineken Cup match between Munster and the Ospreys at Thomond Park. The English official had to pull out through injury.
