Wales star Sam Warburton says he has had “no hiccups so far” in his recovery from neck surgery.
The twice British and Irish Lions captain remains on course for a return to action in January and should be fit for the NatWest Six Nations in February.
“I had the operation six weeks ago now, and it is a four-month return to play, which is January,” he said.
“The rehab is going smoothly so far, so all good.
“I’ve had no hiccups so far. It was quite a straightforward operation. People hear the words ‘neck operation’ and they wave the red flag.
“It wasn’t as invasive as perhaps other neck operations where there are disc replacements or they do a stabilisation. It was in the neck, but it was through a nerve. I wasn’t too worried about it, and the operation went smoothly.”