Jack Conan says he thought his Rugby World Cup was over before it began after a setback in his recovery from a foot injury, but the Ireland number 8 has declared himself fit and ready to go for his side's final Pool B game against Scotland next week.
Conan damaged ligaments in his ankle during the first half of the opening warm-up game against Italy on 5 August, and although it was expected to just be a short-term issue, it's kept the Leinster man sidelined for close to eight weeks.
The 31-year-old has returned to full training and is back in the selection mix for the meeting with Scotland on 7 October, but he's revealed that he was left fearing the worst after aggravating the issue early in the tournament.
"Three or four weeks ago I thought I was going home," he said yesterday from Ireland's team base in Tours.
"To be able to turn it around with the work of all the physios, the docs and stuff - they've done an incredible amount of work with me and I'm unbelievably grateful.
"I'm training away, feeling good and just ready to add my bit of value that I can."
At the time of the injury it had been expected Conan would be fit and ready for the tournament opener against Romania in Bordeaux in early September.
"I tore a few ligaments in my foot back against Italy and it was just one of those things, on the day I wasn't able to push off it fully.
"Then, I was coming back from that and ended up over-compensating with other bones in my foot and got bone bruising."
Of all people, it would have been particularly cruel had Conan's injury cost him a shot at the World Cup.
In 2019, the back row had been in the form of his life entering the tournament before another foot injury saw him play just one game.
And he says those painful memories have caused him some stressful times in recent weeks.
"I thought I'd get back; I ran the Thursday morning before we left and it went really well, my best running session.
"Literally, two days after that it capitulated to some degree and I went for scans.
"I had flashbacks to sitting in some random Japanese hospital in the middle of nowhere with Ciaran [Dr Ciaran Cosgrave] four years ago, with Ciaran again, and I was saying 'surely not? Doing it all again in the exact same spot?'
"Thankfully, this one's had a far better outcome. But there was definitely a stage where I thought: 'this is me, I'm cooked'."
While he's been able to slowly build up to full on-field training in recent weeks, the bulk of his work since August has been done in the gym, working with the likes of Dr Ciaran Cosgrave, physio Keith Fox, strength and conditioning coaches Jason Cowman and Ciaran Ruddock, as well as the squad's rehabilitation specialist Einar Einarsson.
Conan has been watching on with envy as his team-mates have picked up three wins from three, the latest coming last Saturday against defending champions South Africa.
And he was sitting in the stands on Saturday night at Stade de France, with TV cameras perfectly capturing his stress in the second half as Ireland led by just two points after the hour mark (below).
"It's just so stressful watching the game. It really is," he added.
"You’ve no input. I was on the edge of my seat, we all were but I’m probably just a bit more animated than some of the lads. We were freaking out.
"Obviously then you have the other side of it, when we win a penalty, we score a try, Johnny gets one of the kicks, Jack [Crowley] got the kick at the end, you’re up off the seat and it’s an incredible moment but I’d much rather be playing. It’s a lot more easier on the heart than it is sitting in the stands."
With the likes of Cian Prendergast and Gavin Coombes both missing out on the 33-man squad, Ireland aren't short of options in the back row, and it was a significant vote of confidence from the Irish coaches to carry an injured Conan for the opening three games of the tournament.
And while the time on the sidelines has been frustrating, he says the way the Irish coaching team have handled it has given him enormous belief in himself.
"It was huge, it was a massive relief. I thought I was going to go home so to get pulled aside and to say 'look, we're going to keep you on, we know you’re going to get better, we're going to give you the time you need’ filled me with a lot of confidence.
"It took the edge off me a little bit. I was able to relax and just focus on getting better and not be worrying that they’re going to send me home or anything like that.
"In fairness to Cian (Prendergast) and Gav (Coombes), the two of them had incredible pre-seasons, [Prendergast] went really well in those games and I'm grateful they were patient with me, gave me the opportunity to train away and get right again."
It's likely Conan will be drafted into the matchday squad for the game against the Scots next week, a nice time for Andy Farrell to be able to rotate a player into the group.
Coincidentally, his first appearance of this tournament will come against the only side he featured against in Japan four years ago. He'll hope this isn't his only outing in France this October.
"It will be great, my one cap in a World Cup so far was against Scotland so it will be good to add another one.
"Hopefully I get that opportunity next week but I was out there training today and it's such a joy to be out running around with the lads and get back with a ball in your hands and switching off from all the rehab a little bit.
"I know I’ve a good bit more to do but it’s such a relief."
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