The Ospreys star is the red-hot front-runner to be the Lions’ last line of defence on the tour to South Africa this summer but insists there is more still to come.Â
Byrne, 28, said: “I can definitely get better and there’s plenty more to come from me. Hopefully, I can improve on how I performed in last year’s tournament.Â
“As long as I’m listening to the coaches, I’m sure I’ll have a better tournament than last term.Â
“I can improve at all aspects of my game. There’s always scope for improvement in any player – no-one can rest on his laurels – and I am far from the finished article. I just want to be improving all the time.”Â
Byrne lines up for Wales alongside IRB World Player of the Year Shane Williams and Leigh Halfpenny replaces the injured Mark Jones in a exciting back three.Â
And he reckons he will relish the prospect of being a marked man by the Scots at Murrayfield.Â
Byrne said: “If I carry on playing the way I am, I feel confident I can deal with being a marked man.Â
“Maybe Scotland will look to mark me closely. But if they do it opens opportunities for players around me. It happens all the time with Shane Williams.Â
“When he plays the opposition mark him tightly but it creates space and then others have room to do things.Â
“Scotland should be wary of our wings – Shane is the best player in the world and Leigh is an exciting talent.Â
“As a back three we worked well together against South Africa and we’re ready for the challenge.Â
“Scotland will probably try to put in cross-field kicks, but we’re up for the task.”Â
Mike Phillips starts at scrum-half after Gareth Cooper was ruled out with a knee injury while fly-half Stephen Jones got the nod ahead of James Hook.
