All The News

British and Irish Lions captain Paul O'Connell is confident his team can lift themselves one more time and provide South Africa with the same stern opposition as they did in the first two Tests, when they meet in the third and final international in Johannesburg on Saturday.

Speaking at a media briefing, in the lead-up to Saturday's showdown, he admitted that they are bitterly disappointed at having already conceded the series, but said there is enough pride left in the team to ensure they don't get whitewashed.

"I think guys are just looking forward to the game at the weekend and just finishing on a high," O'Connell told the media gathering.

"We've had some time off and got it [the first two defeats] out of our system and it's not ideal - we'd love to be here at one all - but that's life and you've just got to get on with it. I think the guys are professional enough to do that."

O'Connell said he felt his team was "very unlucky" in going down 25-28 in last week's second Test in Pretoria and added that they remain "positive" going in Saturday's showdown.

"At the same time we are 2-0 down and you can't get away from that. We came here to win and you play to win - you don't come for big performances where you lose you come to win and it is disappointing."

However, he was adamant that his team will be able to lift themselves and replicate the intensity from last week - when they were leading for 70 minutes of the game and lost through an injury-time Morné Steyn penalty.

"I think we can," he said, when asked if they could repeat the intensity they showed at Loftus Versfeld.

"The guys are enthusiastic to do that again and I don't see why there should be a problem - everything isn't on the line like it was last Saturday but still for a lot of us, it is a chance to pull on a Lions test jersey again.

"The way the tour has gone, the way it has been managed, the way we've tried to manage ourselves - we won't be taking it lightly on Saturday."

He said they will bring "everything" to the game on Saturday, when asked how they will get "emotionally" and "physically" ready for the final Test.

"I think at this level you have to be ready on both fronts - you have to bring everything to the game.

"When you look at the intensity of last week, passion and emotion play a huge part in the game and the same as every other week it is important that we get that right.

"I think we will be eager to prove ourselves. I don't think the last two weekend's results are a true reflection of where we are so I think we will be motivated to show ourselves. We want to win in a Lions jersey - there is massive respect for what the Lions is amongst the squad and you do feel that all the time."

By Jan de Koning, in Johannesburg