CJ Stander admits he misses rugby but was happy to turn down invites from South African clubs to make a quick return from retirement.
Stander left Munster two years ago, at the end of last season, having played 156 times for the province and earned 51 Ireland caps.
There was speculation that he would join a South African club on his return home and the former back row star admits now that there were interested parties.
"Yeah, there were a few teams, a few guys calling me afterwards, and a few clubs around where I live now, Paarl, who asked the question," said Stander.
"I just feel I've done my part and when I hung up my boots, that was it for me. I'm really proud of that decision.
"I do miss the game and I do play a bit of touch with some people on a pitch close to home but that's about it.
"But no, I don't like the contact anymore. When I sit at home and watch the game and have a few pints, I just think, 'Oof'.
"Like Munster against Toulouse, I was thinking I couldn't imagine having the feeling of just being broken to bits on Sunday and Monday."
Stander does keep in touch with what is happening at Munster. He is very good friends with the Reds' head coach Johann van Graan and looking forward to the Reds' clash with Leinster in the URC at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.
Victory for Munster would secure a home quarter-final in the upcoming play-offs. Defeat could see them fall from second to sixth, depending on results elsewhere, but they will make the play-offs regardless.
"Yeah, I talk to a few players but mostly some of the coaches," said the 32-year-old.
"I have a very good relationship with Johann van Graan and I speak to him quite a bit. Now and then, (Munster's next head coach) Graham Rowntree, and I spoke to (defence coach) JP Ferreira this morning. A few of the players as well.
"For me, I'm proud. To get to a point where you're playing in a (Champions Cup) quarter-final and it's a game you should have won is unbelievable.
"To be second in the URC ahead of this weekend, I'm proud of the boys.
"I say 'we' but I need to say 'them'. When I was still there, we had a goal and a plan. You can see things are coming together.
"Everyone has to make decisions but for me, they're almost at that place, they need one or two more years together.
"But I know that the coaching staff, with Graham taking over, he is just going to keep on with that attitude.
"He's obviously going to bring some things in, but the biggest thing is that they've gone back to that Munster core that we all know and that's exciting to see."
Having said that, Stander is happy to be home.
"The weather is better," he smiled. "Adapting is still a process I need to learn.
"I'm working almost normal hours from 7 until 6 sometimes and the construction service is a 24-hour job. Suddenly, we have to make time to see friends on weekends when we used not to have that.
"It's great, it's good to be back home and see family. We do miss Ireland a lot. The big thing for me is to keep my wife from crying every second week because she wants to move back.
"But it's been great, the transition was quite easy. I always said that I had a good relationship with my family and that structure has been awesome to fall back on."
