BBC SPORT | PLAYER VIEWS | Charvis eager for a chance to shine

BBC Sport Online columnist Colin Charvis aims to make the most of his opportunity as a replacement for Saturday's first Test and realises a win is vital for the Lions' hopes of a series win.

I'm very pleased to have made the bench for the First Test, given that a week ago I couldn't even get into the midweek team.

Having only started one of the first five matches I have to confess that all I could see was doom and gloom.

I certainly had no real confidence I could push myself into contention for the 22-man squad for the Test.

But Lawrence Dallaglio's misfortune has given me a break and although we all feel for him having to go home it has opened up a chance for me to get on the bench.

Neil Back: Another victim of the Lions injury curse
The later injury to Neil Back also altered the back row options and it has meant that both Martyn Williams and I have won promotion from the midweek squad.

The match against New South Wales Country has not really been relevant in all this.

The opposition was quite weak, just as it was in my only other game against the Queensland President's XV.

No real judgements can be made from games like that. It is more a case of stepping up because others who were in the frame are not available.

Sometimes you force your way into selection, but I don't feel I have ever had the opportunity to do that on this tour.

At other times, circumstances dictate selection and that is what has happened to me. But I aim to make the most of it.

I think we have a squad that can trouble the Wallabies. We have some very dangerous backs and a strong and mobile pack of forwards.

I am not so naive as to think it would be anything other than hugely difficult if we did not win this first one

Colin Charvis

In training now with the Saturday team it is obvious we are not really concerned about what the Wallabies might do.

We are concentrating on our own strengths, rather than countering the threat they pose.

After the defeat to Australia A, it is vital that we raise our level against the Wallabies and hopefully I will get onto the field to help us do that at some stage.

In a three Test series it would still be possible to win even if we lost this first Test in Brisbane.

But I am not so naive as to think it would be anything other than hugely difficult if we did not win this first one.

Every player here knows that too, which is why we are determined to go 1-0 up.


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