Rory Best is delighted with his progress after surgery

Ulster and Ireland hooker Rory Best is poised to make an early comeback from a serious neck injury.

Best was expected to be sidelined for the entire season following surgery but the 27-year-old could return for Ulster after the Six Nations in late March.

"I am delighted now to really see the light at the end of the tunnel," Best told the Belfast News Letter.

"If I can continue to progress then maybe a return after the Six Nations is a strong possibility."

Best, who has won 31 Ireland caps, had surgery for a chronic disc injury last summer.

He has worked hard on his rehabilitation and embarked on a contact training session last week with the rest of the Ulster squad.

606: DEBATE I'll be pretty nervous until I see him pull on the white jersey Don_Alfonso

"It felt good - a lot of goals had already been achieved previously and moving on to the next one is always a boost," he added.

"But I think getting onto the pitch with the lads again was the best goal of the lot so far.

"The wee bit of contact was good, I took some hits. I got suited up in the vest, and although there were some concerns from the coaching team, the medical team said it had to be done at some point.

"It was only five or 10 minutes, but it was good to take hits full on, boys running at you trying to knock you over, which is great."

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