Clyde Rathbone to take on fellow veteran Shane Williams when Brumbies play British and Irish Lions

CLYDE Rathbone believes his Lions rival Shane Williams will be as dangerous tomorrow night as he was in the prime of his career.

CLYDE Rathbone believes his Lions rival Shane Williams will be as dangerous tomorrow night as he was in the prime of his career, citing George Smith's remarkable return from Japan as an indicator.

Veteran Brumbies winger Rathbone, making his first appearance against any Lions side, could be marking 36-year-old Williams at Canberra Stadium in a stunningly unexpected battle

While there was conjecture over Williams' readiness to run out for the Lions on three days' notice, Rathbone isn't falling for it.

"You can't underestimate him just because he's retired from international rugby or because he's been playing in Japan, you only have to look at the way George Smith came back from Japan," Rathbone said.

"Shane is just a fantastic player, people underestimate how good he still is. He can step around you in a phone booth, he has real pace, he will come with a lot of great attributes."

While Rathbone, 31, was named to start on the left wing, he indicated he may switch sides with Henry Speight and oppose Williams, who he faced in 2006 when the Wallabies drew with Wales at Millennium Stadium.

Rathbone, who missed out on playing in the 2007 World Cup through injury, should also have been among the many players whose careers fell between Lions tours.

He made his professional start in South Africa in 2002, a year after the Lions last toured Australia, then retired in 2009 only to make an incredible return last year.

Two years ago the odds of Rathbone facing Williams - who retired from internationals in 2011 - in this series would have been astronomical.

But feel-good stories must be put aside, with Rathbone declaring the Brumbies are not coming out to make northern friends.

"We're not going into this to be competitive or to test ourselves, we are going to win, we believe," Rathbone said. "We are not going to be lulled into any false sense of security as to how difficult the task will be, they have more than 600 international caps in their side.

"But we will take a lot of confidence in the amount of time we've spent together.

"They have been touring for a couple of weeks and are starting to build combinations, but we have had months in camp together.

"If there is one area we have something they don't, it's time together. And that is particularly important in this day and age with the way rugby is played.

"We are very comfortable with the way we play and our structures."

The last time the Lions played the Brumbies, they scored after the full-time siren to secure a 30-28 victory.

While the Brumbies have a potent backline, Rathbone said the usual rules of rugby would apply if his side is to spring the first defeat on the 2013 Lions. "We'll need at least parity up front if we are to win," he said.