Peter O'Mahony says the final months of his recovery from injury were the toughest for him.
The Munster captain suffered a serious knee injury on Ireland duty during the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
But almost a year since the injury occurred, the 27-year-old has made his return to action at provincial level against Zebre on October 1st.
But it has been a long road back as he told Newstalk's Dave McIntyre at the EPCR European Rugby Champions Cup & European Rugby Challenge Cup launch at Dublin's Convention Centre.
"It was tough. [But] it was funny in some ways. It felt like I hadn't been gone for long but obviously it was a long few months. The last two or three were the hardest because I was nearly there but I wasn't taking to the pitch with the lads and it was really nice to get out there for 20 minutes at the weekend," he said.
O'Mahony is well aware, however, that it will take a few months to get back to his peak level.
"A lot of the guys I've spoken to who've done it said it probably takes two years to feel fully normal again, so I've another bit to go before I get there," he said.
The flanker added that he is hoping that the injury lay-off means he "gets a year back at the end of" his career with fewer miles on the clock.
"It shows how fast seasons go by and it felt like a long time for me but now that I'm back, it went very quickly and with the amount of rugby I've missed, it's going to be hard to catch up," he said.
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