British and Irish Lions scrum-half Conor Murray has declared himself fit and ready for selection, but admits he feared the nerve injury he suffered would force him to retire.
The 28-year-old sustained a 'stinger' in his shoulder playing for Ireland against Wales in the Six Nations on March 10 and has not played since.
The Munsterman's recovery was far slower than expected, while he also revealed he suffered a set-back a month ago.
"I would be lying to you if I said no," said Murray when asked if he had thought he may have to retire.
"That thought comes into your head - 'is it going to get better? Do I need surgery?' All those things.
"It's been a really frustrating six or seven weeks, with a setback in the middle. Had I not got that setback I would have hoped to be back a little bit sooner.
"But talking to the physios, working with them, testing my strength every week, it was always improving.
"We were always on the right track. Seeing neurologists, getting second opinions, seeing everyone we could possibly see and everyone we saw was positive and upbeat about the upward curve I was on. That thought does come into your head automatically, because it means so much for me to be a rugby player and I have a good few years left still.
"To have that thought in your head is an awful thought and you see people retiring from injury and it's not nice, it's very difficult. That thought came into my head but that was only a small part.
"My headspace was really good because we had seen everyone we needed to see and we knew it was really positive. We were on the right track, which was great."
Murray had been on course to feature for Munster against Toulouse in the European Cup quarter-final on April 1, before a setback in the gym forced him to miss the semi-final with Saracens.
"We think it was from the gym. I had done contact that week and I felt really good but it was probably my first time doing proper gym in a while and we think that we might have pushed myself a bit too hard," he said.
"I tensed my neck when I was training. That's the only thing I can think of and the physios can think of.
"I strained and aggravated that nerve, just unsettled it a little bit. I just had to wait for that pain to settle down."
Murray was selected for his second British and Irish Lions tour by Warren Gatland last month despite the ongoing injury, and the Lions head coach revealed to Sky Sports News HQ on Wednesday that the Irish half-back was improving and on course to play before the tour to New Zealand.
Munster face Connacht in the last game of the regular Pro12 season on Saturday, before a semi-final against one of either Ospreys or Scarlets, and Murray believes he is ready to play.
"I'm good, I've been doing contact and trained fully with the squad this week," he said.
"I did one-on-one contact yesterday with a few of the players and made full-on tackles, took full-on tackles. Training with the squad on Tuesday, that's our big day and not that it gets heated but it's supposed to be touch and it can get a little bit heavy-handed at times.
"I was involved in that session, trained fully, took a few knocks or shoulders and didn't think about the injury. The strength is back so I'm fit to play rugby. Hopefully this weekend I'll be involved all going well, and if I'm not I have another week off with the Champions Cup final.
"I don't need it, I'm fit, but there's never any harm in getting an extended rest. I'd bet a good bit that I'll be involved in the semi-final, please God."
Maximuscle have launched a new range of protein bars as part of their "Home of Gains" campaign. To celebrate the launch Maximuscle ambassador Conor Murray held two exclusive training sessions in Dublin.
The sessions were held by Murray at the specially created Home of Gains gym, in partnership with RAW.