Mike Tindall, who damaged internal organs so severely during England's defeat by Wales two months ago that his reappearance this season was in considerable doubt, could return to action this weekend. The powerful centre is under consideration for Gloucester's Heineken Cup quarter-final against Munster at Kingsholm on Saturday and the ball is in his court.

“It's up to Mike now,” Dean Ryan, Gloucester's director of rugby, said yesterday. “He's pretty good at knowing whether he can add value and we would love it if he could.” Tindall has undertaken a physical programme with his club over the past three weeks, but his reaction to team training in the past couple of days will determine his availability.

He was carried off at Twickenham on February 2 after an accident in which he fell on the upraised foot of Mark Jones, the Wales wing, tearing his liver and puncturing a lung. Tindall, 29, spent three days in the intensive care unit at Hammersmith Hospital amid speculation that his career was in danger, but the nature of the injury made it difficult to predict his return.

“Those first two or three days were very serious for everybody,” Ryan said. “Once we got over the first week, the difficult thing was judging how long he would be out for - would he play again, would it be a year, would it be six weeks?”

In his own mind, Tindall targeted this weekend, but he had to remain inactive throughout February while the bruising to the liver receded. “We have been pretty honest with Mike, but this has been new ground for all of us,” Ryan said. “We have pushed him in the last few weeks in terms of physical conditioning and if he is an option, then great. If he's not, we've been running without him for some time.”

It would be a substantial fillip for Gloucester were arguably their most experienced player to be available, with obvious implications for England, too. If Tindall plays a full part with his club during the coming month, he must be considered for the national team's two-match visit to New Zealand in June, a trip for which other long-term casualties such as Tom Rees, the London Wasps flanker, David Strettle, the Harlequins wing, and Olly Morgan, the Gloucester full back, will raise their hands.

“I'm not surprised Mike's near to playing again,” Ryan said. “We always knew the timeframe could sit around this game. He offers us experience, the necessary thought processes and impact. We miss him when he's not playing, in terms of the maturity and experience he brings compared to the rest of the group.

“We were more aware than anyone else of the severity of his injuries. Our medical team have looked into other sports - like mountain biking - where this kind of injury is not quite so unusual, to try and get some form on how people react. But Mike knows his own body, he'll tell us whether he's right or wrong for the weekend. This is not something we want to take a risk on, just around one game, but if we believe he's right, he'll play a part.”

Gloucester are unlikely to confirm their starting XV until tomorrow for a match that, given their patchy form and Munster's distinguished European record, they will start as underdogs, even on their own pitch and as leaders of the Guinness Premiership. If Tindall makes it only as far as the bench, Gloucester are likely to pair James Simpson-Daniel with Anthony Allen at centre, but they are also concerned about Iain Balshaw and Akapusi Qera. The England full back and the Fiji flanker took blows to the head during the Premiership defeat by Worcester Warriors on Saturday.

Morgan came through his first game for four months against Worcester, having recovered from a dislocated shoulder, and they have a variety of combinations available in their back row.

There is speculation that Munster, who lie second in the Magners League, will not choose Denis Leamy, the Ireland No8, in their back row. Another back-row forward from Ireland, Neil McMillan, the uncapped Ulster open-side flanker, is to join Harlequins next season.