Ireland hooker Keith Wood has declared himself fit to play in this year's World Cup after recovering from a long-term shoulder injury.
Wood, 31, missed most of last season and was also released from his club Harlequins, adding to fears he might miss the World Cup in Australia in October.
But his recent trip with the Ireland Tour to Australia, Tonga and Samoa, in a non-playing role, appears to have paid dividends.
"It was brilliant for me," Wood said. "Everything I could possibly hope to get out of it, I got out of it. I was very close to playing by the end of the trip. I tested my shoulder to the full in training, full contact, full scrummaging. There were no repercussions."
Since leaving Harlequins, Wood, capped 51 times by Ireland, the last coming 10 months ago in a World Cup qualifier in Russia, has returned to his roots in Co Clare.
"I'm back in Ireland until after the World Cup," he said. "The family are back living in Killaloe. Ireland has constant training camps through the summer, which suits me ideally. It starts in Poland next week but I'm also training with the Munster guys all the time."