O’Connell not forcing full return

PAUL O’CONNELL returned to a Munster Heineken Cup squad for the first time in 11 months yesterday but admitted he was still “three or four games” away from full fitness.

The Munster, Ireland and Lions lock, out since the end of this year’s Six Nations campaign with a groin injury that became infected, has been gradually clocking up game time on his way back to 100% match fitness. O’Connell played the second half of Young Munster’s All-Ireland League defeat to Shannon a week last Friday and then came on for the final 25 minutes of Munster’s Magners League home game last Saturday against Cardiff Blues.

This Sunday afternoon’s Heineken Cup Pool Three clash against Welsh contenders Ospreys at Thomond Park will likely see O’Connell again sprung from the bench with the Munster captain saying yesterday: “I think for me, I need a run of three or four games where I am playing 60 or 70 minutes, really, that’s realistic.