ACT Brumbies star Pat McCabe has been handed just his second starting opportunity of the Super Rugby season, enabling him to launch a late bid for the Australian series against the British and Irish Lions.
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Even after a broken neck, a torn hamstring and a busted knee which have restricted him to fewer than 300 minutes of game-time this season, McCabe insists he ''feels lucky''.
McCabe will return to the starting team for the clash with the Melbourne Rebels at Canberra Stadium on Friday night.
It is the last chance for players to impress before Wallabies coach Robbie Deans decides on the final six places for the Lions series.
McCabe was all but certain to be a part of the initial 25-man group last month, before injury struck again - this time his knee.
But he is ''bouncing off the walls'' with excitement as the Brumbies close in on the finals.
''Frustrating is the best way to sum up this year, I've never experienced a season like this and dealing with being injured and not in
the team is something new,'' McCabe said.
''[The Lions] are pretty far at the back of the mind. For me I just want to perform well and staying injury free for a while would be nice. Worrying about the Lions won't do me any good.
''Personally I just want to make a contribution [to the Brumbies' season]. I thought I had my bad luck for the year, but that wasn't to be.
''I don't complain too much, I still know I've got it pretty good. I've had moments when I've been down and extremely frustrated … but I still feel pretty lucky.''
Even in the games McCabe has played, Christian Lealiifano's form has kept the incumbent Wallabies inside-centre on the bench in his six matches of this year.
Lealiifano's superb play has put him on the cusp of earning his first Wallabies cap, but he is likely to battle for that spot with McCabe if both are part of the Lions squad.
McCabe is yet to play a full game and has been on the field for just 214 minutes out of a possible 1120 minutes this year.
It's a stark contrast to the start of McCabe's career. He played every minute of every game in 2010.
The spin-off to a disaster run of injuries is that McCabe feels fresh.
''I guess that's a bonus, some guys are getting pretty tired, but I'm just bouncing off the walls to get a game,'' McCabe said.
McCabe will add important leadership to a Brumbies team missing regular captain Ben Mowen and senior players Lealiifano, Stephen Moore, Ben Alexander, David Pocock and George Smith.
''It's fantastic he can be a mentor and guide for everyone,'' Brumbies coach Jake White said.
''He's been dying to get back in rugby and now he gets a chance to play. Pat is a Wallaby, he understands the pressure, he gives confidence to players around him and he knows exactly what's expected.''