Top 14 Orange
Paul O'Connell could miss rest of the season with hamstring injury
ESPN Staff
November 2, 2015
Paul O'Connell exited the Test arena on a stretcher © Getty Images
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Paul O'Connell could be out for up to eight months due to the hamstring injury he sustained during the Rugby World Cup, reports in Ireland have claimed.

The legendary lock has undergone surgery on the injury -- picked up in Ireland's win over France -- and says he is now facing the "biggest challenge" of his career.

O'Connell has been told that he could be back playing in four months, although it could well be twice that.

The former Ireland captain will move to Toulon in December and continue his rehabilitation with the big-spending Top 14 club.

"I don't know, it's very approximate," O'Connell was quoted as saying by Joe.ie. "It's kind of between four and it could be eight months. You just don't know. 

"The surgeon was very happy with how the surgery went. He doesn't see there being any problems, but I've had a lot of injuries that haven't really gone like that. There's been ups and downs with my injuries in terms of how I've recovered.

"I wouldn't be as naive to think that it'll be plain sailing. I'm just going to follow the protocols religiously, as I've always done, and hopefully that can get me in a place to get back playing before the end of the season."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

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