Lions star Jamie Roberts hopes to be back in action before the end of the year.
The Wales centre is currently recovering from wrist surgery and has missed all seven games for Cardiff Blues so far this term.
Roberts, who was named HSBC Player of the Tour on the Lions’ 2009 trip to South Africa, will be unavailable for his country’s Autumn Series but hopes to be fit again sometime in December.
"I'll hopefully be back playing between mid to late December," said Roberts, who initially injured his wrist in the Lions’ heartbreaking second Test defeat to the Springboks 16 months ago.
"I'm counting down the days. I'm at the halfway stage now. It was in a cast for six weeks and I had a splint for a month.
"Now it's just a case of strengthening my wrist and getting the range of motion back.
"It's feeling good but it's a frustrating time because the Blues are going well in the Heineken Cup and Wales are about to play the autumn internationals."
Roberts will miss the November Tests against Australia, South Africa, Fiji and New Zealand, as well five more Magners League games.
He is likely to be unavailable for the first of the Heineken Cup double headers with Northampton Saints On December 11 but could be thrust into action when the two sides meet again a week later.
