Ian Madigan hopes to play his way back into the Irish team:
"My number one goal is still to play for Ireland and it always has been. When I left Leinster, it was to become a better out-half, to be able to perform for Ireland and that is no different [now].
"What I am working on with Pat over in Bristol is to be the best rugby player I can be for the team in Bristol. My role over there is to do that and if I'm doing that really well in the Premiership, selection is out of my hands but it would still be my ultimate goal to come back and play for Ireland," the 29-year old told OTB AM.
"That's ultimately over to me. I need to be playing really-really well for them to be looking at me going, 'We need that guy in our team.'"
"I've had a long road over the last three years, it's been frustrating for me. I had a year after the World Cup where Johnny was back at Leinster and I was mainly sitting on the bench. Then I went to France and the majority of that year was pretty frustrating... And then a year in the Championship as well," he added.
He believes that Premiership rugby will offer a chance to demonstrate his talents:
"I feel like it's tee'd up for me now this year, it's just about taking that opportunity and playing the best that I can."
When asked about watching Ireland and Leinster's success as an outsider the Dubliner said that while he initially felt "Numb."
He doesn't believe that returning to the Irish team would require a move back to an Irish province, he noted that the current unwritten rules surrounding overseas-based players lining out in green "still might" change.
The Irish out-half is in Ireland for the Dataships
