Phil Vickery is anticipating a "magical experience" when the British and Irish Lions lock horns with world champions South Africa in this summer's Test series.

The England prop played in all three Lions Tests against Australia in 2001, which were played in stadia that had been dyed red by the thousands upon thousands of travelling supporters.

Vickery missed the tour of New Zealand four years ago with a broken arm and while Australia was memorable, he expects South Africa to be like nothing he has ever experienced.

Australia is a sporting country but South Africa is a rugby country and Vickery is counting down the days to June 20 and the first Test at Kings Park in Durban.

"It is set up to be a truly magical time," said Vickery, who captained England to the 2007 World Cup final.

"I watched the series win in 1997 which was fantastic and so much has happened since then.

"South Africa are now world champions after rebuilding their team, they have just had the elections – there is heaps of stuff going on over there and I know when we arrive it will be a true festival of rugby.

"I remember going over there with Gloucester and we went to see the Springboks play the All Blacks at Kings Park in Durban. The atmosphere was incredible.

"Very often we don't get to see that because we are playing. It was magical and I can't comprehend what it will be like in the first Test.

"It will be a great spectacle and I just hope I can justify my selection out there."

Vickery was one of eight England players named in Ian McGeechan's original 37-man squad – the same number supplied to the initial line-up by Munster before Tomas O'Leary broke his ankle.

McGeechan has tried to match the Springboks fearsome physicality by selecting a pack full of "beasts" – but the toughest challenge of all is blending one team from four nations.

For that, McGeechan needs the right kind of characters and Vickery fits the bill perfectly.

The Wasps prop's penchant for impersonations can lighten the mood but when it is time to get serious there are few more dedicated players in the game.

Here is a man who came back from a back injury so bad that he could not even hold his new-born daughter to captain England, against all odds, to the World Cup final.

Vickery will challenge Wales' Adam Jones and Scotland's Euan Murray for a place in the Test side but whether he gets the tighthead jersey or not, he vowed to commit everything to the Lions cause.

"You have to go with the right mentality. Everyone has to accept it is not about you as an individual, it is about everyone pulling together creating one team," said Vickery.

"If you can't sacrifice your ego for seven or eight weeks you are a pretty sad individual.

"I don't want to come back from South Africa having lost the Test series and hopefully I can have a role in that.

"If I am not selected I have to make sure I do everything I can to make sure the person who is selected has the right support.

"It is tough. When there are 37 guys all going for 15 jerseys there are going to be some pretty disappointed guys – but it is how you deal with that.

"I am sure mental toughness comes into the selection equation. You have to show how much playing for the British and Irish Lions means to you."