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Riki Flutey, who will crown a remarkable first season as a bona fide 'Englishman' when he starts for the British and Irish Lions in the third and final Test against South Africa on Saturday, said he is "living the dream".

The New Zealand-born centre, a member of the New Zealand team that won the Under-19 World Cup in 1999 and who also played for the New Zealand Maori, only qualified to play for England at the start of the 2008-09 season on residency grounds.

He went straight into Martin Johnson's England set-up and won eight caps, scoring 20 points, before being called up to the Lions squad.

Flutey has since become only the second player to play for and against the Lions in a tour match, having come off the bench for Wellington in their 23-6 loss to the 2005 Lions.

The first was Irishman Tom Reid, who was a Test player in South Africa in 1955 and then played against the Lions for Eastern Canada four years later.

The 29-year-old Flutey will also become the first Kiwi-born player for 101 years to feature in a Lions Test team, the last being the Taumutu-born Pat McEvedy in 1908.

Flutey, speaking to the media at the team's base in Johannesburg, described his first Lions Test selection as "fantastic".

"Looking back 12 months ago I wouldn't have dreamed of being in this position," Flutey said.

"Rubbing shoulders with the boys in the Lions squad I've learnt a hell of a lot over the last seven weeks and now to have the chance to play in a Test and is something I am really, really looking forward to.

"Even before making my debut for England, I had written in my diary that I wanted to play for the Lions, I wanted to be part of this team. It is the highest honour."

Flutey, who has benefited from regular Test centre pairing Brian O'Driscoll and Jamie Roberts both being ruled out injured, added: "It's up to me to show what I can do against the best team in the world.

"Jamie and Brian were playing outstandingly but that's water under the bridge now. We're here for one reason and that's to win the Test match for the Lions.

"I back my own ability and I've got an opportunity to start a Test.

"In 2005 I played against the Lions for Wellington and that was a fantastic occasion," said Flutey, who will enjoy four weeks of holidays in Wellington after the tour before reporting for duty at new French club Brive.

"The Lions are so well respected and it is huge in New Zealand," he said. "I remember as a kid my father had all the old Lions tapes and we used to sit around and watch hours of them."

Flutey has played in England since 2005 where he started with London Irish, racking up 272 points and was first capped by England against the Pacific Islanders last November.

He then joined Wasps in 2007, where in his first season he saw them become Premiership champions, and was voted Players' Player of the Year a year later.

Although an age group representative in his native New Zealand, Flutey struggled to find a role at senior level and, such is the strength in depth of All Black rugby, never looked likely to play a Test for his homeland.

"The tour's been a bit frustrating," he added. "I've had some niggling injuries and I had some fluid on my knee but I've tried to be as professional as possible.

"Saturday give us the chance to produce a decent performance and end the tour on a high note."

Asked about the squad's preparation for the final Test, Flutey spoke about the much-needed Bushveld break they had at the beginning of the week, which helped recharge their energy levels.

"It was nice to switch off from rugby at the start of the week - we took a couple of days on safari and that was fantastic to get out in the wild away from the city and the hype and to have a bit of our own individual time.

"Even though we have a few injuries in the camp the mood is good and it was refreshing to get away and come back and then just get stuck into training."

On the benefits of some new faces coming into the Lions side, Flutey said it will refresh the team.

"Some of the boys have been fronting up and playing a lot of games over the last seven weeks and it's an opportunity for the guys feeling real fresh and who haven't played for 10 days or so to get out there and hopefully step it up again."

On how important victory is on Saturday, he spoke of the honour of playing for the Lions.

"I remember Gerald Davies said right from the beginning that to win a Test match in a Lions jersey is the ultimate and even though the series gone, for me personally, it will be. We are going out there to win the Test match and we need to get out there and front up."

Additional reporting by AFP