The 25-year-old hasn’t featured for Munster since January 2020 due to a long-term ankle injury and hasn’t played in the Heineken Champions Cup since he went off injured during the Irish province’s quarter-final win over Edinburgh Rugby in March 2019.

Carbery may have only played in three Heineken Champions Cup campaigns, but made a big impact in all three for both Leinster Rugby and then his current province.

He started in four matches and appeared off the bench in a fifth as Leinster reached the semi-finals in 2016-17 before being beaten by ASM Clermont Auvergne, but he soon had a taste of European glory.

Carbery again featured in five matches the following campaign, including Leinster’s comprehensive 38-16 semi-final defeat of Scarlets. It was a campaign that saw Leinster clinch a fourth European title, seeing off Racing 92 15-12 in a nervy Bilbao final.

The New Zealand-born Irish international then moved south to Limerick and Munster, where he would enjoy his finest campaign to date that was cruelly cut short.

He wowed European Rugby fans with a string of eye-catching plays in the 2018-19 season, scoring 70 points in his six matches and winning two Heineken Man of the Match awards in the process.

However, Carbery would be replaced due to injury midway through his side’s 17-13 win over Edinburgh Rugby in the last eight, and hasn’t featured in European competition since.

Carbery will be looking to make his mark on this season's competition when Europe's top club tournament returns in April.

Munster Rugby fly-half Joey Carbery could make his long-awaited return to action tonight after being named on the bench for his side’s Guinness PRO14 clash against Cardiff Blues at Cardiff Arms Park.