Fitzgerald happy to come full circle

LUKE FITZGERALD will pull on an Irish jersey for the first time in 12 months this evening buoyed by praise from within the Ireland camp and thrilled to have completed a long road back to recovery.

Much is expected of the Irish left wing against South Africa at the Aviva Stadium, with Ireland’s defence coach Les Kiss confidently predicting a big game from the 23-year-old.

Irish captain Brian O’Driscoll believes his Leinster team-mate gives the side a mercurial edge now he is back to the sort of form that saw him earn a spot on the British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa last year — his rise was only halted by a torn lateral collateral ligament in his left knee, an injury sustained in a collision with Australia’s Quade Cooper at Croke Park 12 months ago.