Ospreys hooker Richard Hibbard is set to return to action when the Welsh region host Toulouse in their Heineken Cup tie in Swansea on Saturday.
Hibbard sustained a shoulder injury in Wales' Test against Samoa less than a month ago but has recovered in double-quick time and was expected to be named in the squad to face Toulouse at the Liberty Stadium.
And the Ospreys are also monitoring tighthead prop Adam Jones' recovery from knee injury but stressed that they will not gamble with any player's fitness.
"We are patching up," Ospreys assistant coach Gruff Rees told the South Wales Evening Post.
"Richard has made a remarkable recovery. It should have been a minimum six-week recovery period, but he seems to have a durable body and is mentally tough as well in these situations.
"Mentally tough is a kind way of saying it.
"But he's also done his rehab really professionally. He's been at home icing at the right times, he rested up well and avoided trying to do too much.
"He's been diligent and deserves credit for what he's done.
"He just loves playing and playing for the Ospreys.
"We spoke as coaches after the bleak night of the Samoa game, when there were a lot of Ospreys injuries, but Hibbs was on the phone, saying he wanted to be back to face Toulouse.
"You have to admire the man for having a go."
Although there front row stocks are set to be boosted Rees revealed that their first-choice locks will be missing for a while yet.
"We will be without Ian Evans and Alun Wyn Jones until the end of January or so," he added.
"But come Christmas our front-row resources will start to look a lot healthier.
"That said, we're really pleased at the way Lloyd Peers and James King have stepped up. The pair of them have been excellent."
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