Australia's Will Skelton is ready to give a true account of himself this summer, 12 years on from his first taste of action against The British & Irish Lions.
Skelton has developed into one of the more experienced members of the Wallabies' squad ready to welcome the Lions Down Under this summer, with 33 caps to his name since his debut in 2014.
The lock has played all over the world for the Waratahs, Saracens and La Rochelle and it was with the Sydney side that he first came up against the Lions as a 21-year-old prospect during the 2013 Tour - though it didn't quite go to plan.
"I watched the game again and went 'far out, I walked a lot of that'. I wasn't that good," he reflected.
"I didn't have many involvements, and I think was my third professional game. I wanted to have a look at what the atmosphere was like, how I was as a player, then how I've changed, how I've improved, and I wanted to see what it was like back then."
The second row has had a rocky road with the Wallabies; he debuted against France in 2014 and was in and out of the side until 2016, after which he had a gap of 1,814 days between Australian caps, returning to the fold in 2021 against Scotland.
Skelton was named captain by Eddie Jones for the ill-fated 2023 World Cup when Australia crashed out of the tournament at the group stage, having lost to Fiji and Wales.
After the World Cup, Australia brought in head coach Joe Schmidt, who has brought a sense of balance to the side, and results have followed.
The Wallabies have beaten England, Wales, and Argentina away from home under Schmidt, and a growing belief is emerging among the squad that they could upset the Lions.
Skelton said: "You see how the first July series went, we got a few wins, and you could see that the belief was building.
"When they got to Europe, and I linked up with the boys, there was a there was a buzz, there was energy around the team. Everyone was saying 'Man, I want to play. I want to put my best foot forward.'"
Indeed, the difference in outlook from Jones's Wallabies to Schmidt's squad is stark, with the Kiwi instilling a new sense of excitement ahead of the historic visit of the Lions.
Skelton said, "The Lions would be the pinnacle, no? Like, with the World Cups, the Bledisloe Cup - and you've got the Lions tour that comes every 12 years.
"They've got some great players, but we've also got some weapons in this team, and I think it's trying to fulfil that as best as we can come to those big games.
"I think Aussie rugby in the last two years has improved a lot, and especially this Wallaby team, we're playing a brand of footy that the whole country is getting behind.
"I want to put my hand up and give more to this team, give more to this jersey. Hopefully, the preparation that we have in the next few weeks puts me in good stead to be able to play and show what I can do."
