Quins clash and Australia firmly on O’Connell radar

Having made a remarkably quick recovery from a major operation on a bulging disc in his lower back, Paul O’Connell is not only confident about being part of the Munster team to play Harlequins in the quarter-final of the Heineken Cup on April 7 but also hopeful he can also be part of the British and Irish Lions team to tour Australia in June.

The 2011 Lions skipper in South Africa made his return for Munster A on Tuesday and played 40 minutes of a competitive fixture. Now he believes he will be fully prepared and ready for the Harlequins game once he confirms his fitness in RaboDirect Pro12 games against Connacht and Glasgow Warriors.

While understandably reluctant to look beyond that, he doesn’t entirely dismiss his chances of making the Lions tour, although he did allow: “I don’t know about Australia but I do feel great now. I feel mentally fresh as well, which is something you don’t always feel at this time of year. I’ve had a long time off.”