Kurtley Beale is looking forward to getting back into the green and gold Wallabies shirt © PA Photos

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Returning Wallabies star Kurtley Beale admitted he thought long and hard about sitting out the showpiece British & Irish Lions Test series to focus on overcoming his alcohol issues.

Beale on Tuesday spoke publicly for the first time since he scuffled with Melbourne Rebels team-mates Gareth Delve and Cooper Vuna in an alcohol-fuelled incident in Durban almost three months ago.

The elusive fullback-five-eighth, who also lapsed in his rehabilitation a day after his initial return from suspension last month, said he was extremely grateful for the chance to play in the three-Test series against the British & Irish Lions.

Beale was Monday named in the Wallabies' final 31-man squad and it's understood coach Robbie Deans wants to start him in the first Test on June 22.

"I'm feeling really good and really positive. It's great to be back in the Wallabies environment, they're a great group of boys and a lot of familiar faces," Beale said at the team's Caloundra training camp. "I'm just really excited and very grateful for the opportunity. I'm very excited and just over the moon and it's time to keep on and move on with my life."

Beale said there were plenty of times when he felt he wouldn't be back for the Lions series, and also weighed up missing it to focus on his rehab.

"Yeah definitely," he said. "I had to obliviously work on a few things off the field and I feel like I've done that now with the support of a lot of close friends, the ARU and the Melbourne Rebels.

"I'm grateful for that and without their support it would have been tough ... but I'm going to take this opportunity with both hands and help the Wallabies. I think the best support base for me at the moment is being here in this environment. I'm very excited to be back playing rugby, which I love doing, and it certainly takes a lot of the distractions away."

Flanked by the Wallabies coach, Beale happily answered questions about his return to the game before Deans moved to cut short questions about his rehab process.

Despite playing just one club match in the past month, Deans felt Beale's skill and talent would see him cope with the high intensity of the Lions battles.

The coach, whose role is at stake in the tour, said it was a straight-forward decision to reinstate lock James Horwill as captain over Will Genia.