Ireland legend Paul O'Connell joined Off the Ball's Roadshow in Cork during the week and recalled a time when he was almost forced to miss the majority of two seasons after suffering a back injury.
Speaking to Ger Gilroy and Joe Molloy, the former Munster captain said about the incident: "Yeah well, he told me I'd have to take 18 months out of the game. I know him well, I used to swim with him. He was in our swimming club growing up and he was Young Munster's club doctor for years so this guy had my long term rugby career and long term health at heart.
"But, he told me I'd have to take 18 months out of the game but literally two weeks later - I was completely symptom free and I was going back to him saying 'Mick, this feels fairly alright' and he was there 'no, no'.
Paul O'Connell was once told he'd be out for 18 months with a back injury. He was playing again three months later... pic.twitter.com/9g5fndy7pf
— Off The Ball (@offtheball) October 14, 2017
"So six weeks later I was perfect, eight weeks and eventually about three months later I went back to him and he said 'Look, we'll get a second opinion'.
"I went down to Cork to a guy and he was five minutes with me and said 'you can play in the morning if you want to' and I ended up playing the following day.
"After three months of no training, no weights, no nothing. I played, I came off the bench in a match against Cork Con and the first guy I had to tackle was Ultan O'Callaghan, who is Donncha O'Callaghan's brother - who is about three inches shorter than him and about 10 inches wider!
"And, I tackled him, I got him down to the ground barely and that was it, I was back playing then," he added.
