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Published 14:31 2 Feb 2016 GMT
Updated 18:41 5 Feb 2016 GMT
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Thirty-four caps. Rob Kearney made his debut a year later than Fitzgerald but now has 67 Ireland caps, plus three Lions appearances to Fitzgerald's one.
After his debut in 2006 Fitzgerald had to bide his time to nail down a starting spot for Ireland, initially in the centre but then on the wing.
A stellar, GrandSlam 2009 was capped by that Lions cap but then the injuries began. Ligament damage to his left knee sustained against Australia in November saw him miss the 2010 Six Nations.
In 2011 he filled in for the injured Kearney at full-back, which ultimately contributed to him missing out on a place in the 2011 World Cup squad - a decision that would have seemed unfathomable just a year earlier.
Between the 2011 World Cup and last year's tournament in England, Fitzgerald managed just seven Test appearances for Ireland.
A neck injury saw him miss the 2012 Six Nations, along with Leinster's Heineken Cup triumph and, after a brief reprieve in 2013, Fitzgerald was launched into the worst 16 months of his career.
A combination of hip and groin injuries saw him sidelined indefinitely, with each recurrence making the Leinster player question his career a little more.
"I did (fear for my future) actually. I felt there was no escaping it really," he said towards the end of 2014. "The guys were unbelievably patient with me. There were a couple of times when I just walked out and said 'I can't, I can't do this. I've done months of rehab and I still feel like I'm going nowhere'."
The neck injury that sidelined him in 2012 (and almost cost him his Leinster contract) is something he will have to live with for the rest of his career.
"There's no one else playing the game professionally with the neck injury I have, so you take a chance with that."His commitment to the game is admirable and his team-mates will be hoping he can notch up cap number 35 in South Africa this summer.
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