Paul O’Connell expects his injury enforced spell out of rugby to come to an end soon.
The Munster and Ireland lock endured a frustrating end to his season due to a groin injury sustained in the final match of Ireland’s RBS Six Nations campaign – a 23-20 defeat against Scotland.
That injury meant he missed Munster’s key games towards the end of the season, including their Heineken Cup semi-final defeat to Biarritz and the conclusion of their Magners League campaign.
Writing in his www.bethedifference.ie blog, O'Connell said: ‘It's been an unbelievably frustrating time for me of late but I'm happy that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.'
He added: ‘(Regarding the injury), things are on the mend and I am heading in the right direction. It's been a slow, at times desperately so, process but I can see the finishing line, which is important mentally and physically.’
Ireland have had a tough time on their tour of the Southern Hemisphere in the absence of their talismanic forward, losing their three matches against New Zealand, New Zealand Maori and Australia.
Ireland's worst defeat of the tour came against New Zealand, against whom they were reduced to 14 men early in the match due the sending off of number eight Jamie Heaslip, and lost 66-28.
O'Connell said: ‘The defeat against the All Blacks was hugely disappointing and a little bit shocking. I'm not a great spectator at the best of times but that was an excruciating morning's viewing.'
