LAWRENCE Dallaglio will make his comeback from a tour-threatening knee injury when the Lions tackle Australia 'A' in Gosford tomorrow.

And former England captain Dallaglio was last night left under no illusions about the ''huge challenge'' awaiting him in a furious scramble for Test back-row places.

Dallaglio has been sidelined since Wasps' Premiership play-off semi-final defeat against Bath six weeks ago.

The injury initially cast doubts over his tour place, but he was declared fit enough to travel Down Under and gradually stepped up training work after arriving in Australia just over a fortnight ago.

''I always knew that I wouldn't be ready for possibly the first two games, and I was obviously prepared for that,'' he said.

''I have just been working hard in training, starting full-contact a couple of weeks ago, and I am very pleased to be selected for Tuesday's game.

''I felt very confident when we left for Australia that I would be fit fairly early on in the tour.''

Dallaglio, having sat out victories over Western Australia, a Queensland President's XV and Queensland Reds, could hardly be facing stiffer competition to make the Test team.

Back-row colleagues Richard Hill, Neil Back, Scott Quinnell and Martin Corry, especially, have all hit top form, giving Lions coach Graham Henry the right kind of selection headache building towards Saturday week's first Test in Brisbane.

''Lawrence faces a huge challenge, but he has probably trained harder than anyone else," Henry said.

''He knows that the pressure is on. The back-row is an extremely competitive area for the Tests, and I am sure he's well aware of that.

''At this stage, the loose-forward selection is wide open,'' he added.

While Dallaglio effectively starts making up for lost time, his England teammate Mike Catt will be on a similar mission.

Bath ace Catt has been troubled by a calf strain, and now makes a first appearance, subject to him proving his fitness in training today, featuring alongside current England midfield partner Will Greenwood.

''Mike will have to run out fully but he has made huge progress over the last couple of days,'' said Lions manager Donal Lenihan.

Henry has made 15 changes from the side that swamped Queensland Reds 42-8, also handing first tour starts to scrum-half Austin Healey and prop Jason Leonard, two serious Test candidates who have featured as substitutes so far.

Full-back Matt Perry and wing Jason Robinson, both mightily impressive against the President's XV, again feature, while Quinnell has recovered from fluid on the knee that kept him out against the Reds.

Lenihan, meanwhile, has moved to head off claims from Australia 'A' boss and Wallabies-elect coach Eddie Jones regarding alleged foul play during the Reds game.

Jones has urged Tuesday's match officials to ''keep a close eye on things'' following a bruising opening ten minutes at Ballymore when there were some ill-tempered exchanges.

The independent match commissioner has not lodged any complaint though, and Lenihan last night hit back at Jones' comments.

''It was our intention to play football right from the start of the game, and that is our intention for the whole tour,'' Lenihan said.

''When you tour a country like we are, and you play Queensland, who are one of the most physical of the Australian provinces, it is not unexpected.

''But every time you pick up a newspaper, you read about 1989 (the so-called battle of Ballymore between the Lions and Australia). That was 12 years ago, and a huge amount has happened since."