Buckley is standing tall again

Celtic League: Tony Buckley's selection for the Ireland squad to tour Argentina next month exceeded the Munster and Shannon tighthead prop's expectations - especially when considering the starting point.

Eight months ago the 26-year-old couldn't dress himself, get out of bed in the middle of the night or even turn over without having to endure excruciating pain.

He suffered from a rare condition, Osteitis Pubis, an inflammation of the pelvic joint. "The joint shouldn't move, but mine did and as a result there was a great deal of inflammation. The pain was excruciating, even when walking. I did a lot of research over the Internet and worked very hard with the physiotherapists.

"One of the requirements was injections into the joint and they were horrific given the proximity to other areas of the anatomy. It got progressively better thanks to a lot of rehabilitation and patience. The people who helped me were very good at a time when I initially believed I wouldn't be able to play the game again. I'm very grateful to be able to play again and it definitely makes you more appreciative of being able to do so."

Six games might not seem much of a milestone to most professional players, but to Buckley it is the number of consecutive games he has played for Munster this season.

On each occasion his fitness was a little bit better and his contribution more pronounced. At 6ft 4in and 21 stone he's hard to miss, but to hone in purely on his size is to ignore both his athleticism and his ball-handling skills.

He's not where he wants to be, but he's much further down the road than he dared hope eight months ago. Life was less complicated when he pitched up to Kanturk rugby club from his home in Newmarket, Co Cork as a 15-year-old. His school principal had encouraged him to try the sport.

Prior to that he'd played a bit of everything - football, hurling and soccer and it included a victory in an under-16 Cork county final, where he enjoyed a cameo at full forward having been introduced from the sideline. "It was a case of catch, turn and kick it," he smiles.

He took to rugby immediately and spent his final three years at school up in Newbridge College. That only cultivated his love of the sport, especially in his final year when Newbridge reached the Leinster Senior Schools Cup semi-final.

His time in Kildare included a six-month sojourn at St Peter's College in Auckland, New Zealand. He studied Construction at the Limerick Institute of Technology and on the advice of friends decided to join Shannon rugby club. League titles followed and an invitation to join the provincial set-up with Munster.

Niggling injuries hampered his progress, but the osteitis pubis could have finished his career. When Munster coach Declan Kidney decided to give John Hayes an extended rest after the Six Nations and European Cup, Buckley deputised to great effect - a fact acknowledged by his inclusion in the Ireland squad for Argentina.

"Initially I was struggling with my athleticism, but gradually as the number of training sessions and matches increased I felt more comfortable and I was reasonably happy with my contributions in matches. I have work on the scrimmaging technique and over the last year it has come on an awful lot.

"I think I coped well against some good props in recent matches. I suppose my strong point would be hitting rucks and using my physique there, but my ambition is to be good in every aspect of the game."

He recently signed a new two-year contract with Munster and his current happiness with his lot can also be attributed to his family life. His son Aidan will celebrate his first birthday on May 25th, and along with his partner Elaine Collins - she is a former international rugby player - they are expecting a second in September.

So how did he find out about Argentina? "I checked my phone after training and found that I have 20 missed calls. I scrolled down to find the one that eventually gave me the news. Argentina is the perfect environment to test yourself as a front row forward. Freddie (Pucciariello) has been giving me advice and I am really looking forward to the challenge.

"I tend to set short-term goals and one of those was to get a few starts for Munster. My ultimate goal would have been to make the Churchill Cup squad and now I have exceeded that ambition. I'll keep re-assessing my progress."

He's come a long way already.

Meanwhile, Paul O'Connell returns to the Munster squad for Friday night's Magners Celtic League game against Edinburgh at Murrayfield for the first time since breaking a hand against Scotland in this season's Six Nations.Brian Carney has recovered from injury while Anthony Foley is over a stomach complaint.

Denis Hickie is expected to be named in Leinster's squad for their game against the Border Reivers on Saturday having missed the defeat by the Ospreys.

Munster Squad (v Edinburgh)

C Cullen, I Dowling, B Murphy,

L Mafi, B Carney, J Kelly A Horgan,

R O'Gara, T O'Leary, J Manning,

B O'Meara, M Lawler, M Horan,

J Hayes, F Pucciariello, F Sheahan,

D Fogarty, D O'Callaghan,

P O'Connell, M O'Driscoll, A Quinlan, D Leamy, D Wallace, A Foley,

J O'Sullivan, J Coughlan.