GLOUCESTER back row Matt Kvesic is determined not to worry about his England international place as the clock ticks down towards next year’s British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand.

Kvesic found himself in the England Saxons squad during the summer that toured South Africa and not in the senior party that went to Australia under head coach Eddie Jones.

But with competition for back row places in the England squad red hot, Kvesic admits he has to show his mettle and help Gloucester achieve their European Champions Cup qualification place for the 2017/18 campaign with outstanding performances in the coming weeks.

By doing so, he could then force his way back into Jones’ mind for the Autumn Test Series in November and next Spring’s RBS Six Nations Championship that will give him his best shot at selection for Warren Gatland’s Lions tour.

His international selection is all about keeping his cool under the most severe Aviva Premiership scrutiny, and the flanker said: “I am trying not to worry about it too much. In past seasons, maybe I have and perhaps I may well have played well for it and maybe I haven’t.

“As a whole, worrying too much about it just detracts from my game. It is a big year for us here, (Gloucester) with a couple of changes in the coaching set-up and new players, to really kick on after what has probably been two years of underperforming.

“It is important that everyone - one to 22 in the squad – buys into it, whether you are an international or not.

“For me it is about nailing that European spot here and pushing further up from there. If I’m in Eddie’s thoughts at all, then great. If not, then hopefully we will be pushing for that silverware here.”

And there is no doubt how crucial getting that European Champions Cup place is for Gloucester. They have failed to do it too often in recent seasons and, despite winning the Challenge Cup, that does not cut it – particularly for owner Martin St Quinton who demanded, when he took over control of the club from the Walkinshaw family last year, that the Champions Cup was the minimum requirement expected.

Kvesic knows that the heat is on the Cherry and Whites squad to produce. Gloucester are on course so far as they are fifth in the league after three games with a bonus point win and a draw to their name.

He added: “You look at the fans, the club and the history it has, it deserves to be playing European rugby (Champions Cup) and it is our job as the current group not to dwell on the past and say that other teams have done this and done that.

“We are going to create our own history. If we can put together a good season this year, then we can kick on next year.

“it showed last year that there are no easy games and last year we were, at one point, four or five points off third and that was two-thirds of the way through the season. You have to be on the top of your game week in and week out to win, whether you are playing top of the table teams or the guys at the bottom. That showed in a few of our results last year. Hopefully this year, we can back up performances and we should go alright.

“The fans deserve it, we have a good enough squad and it is a good enough club to be playing top level rugby and that is where we want to be. “