The British and Irish Lions, having lost the first Test in their three-match series, have no option other than victory when they clash with South Africa at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

A defeat would send the cream of the four home nations of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales to a series defeat and unable to mirror the success of the last Lions tourists in 1997, when they won 2-1.

But Lions centre Brian O'Driscoll said the team were in confident mood as they headed from Cape Town to Pretoria.

"Some of the rugby played at the weekend showed some confidence and that we can play the game we want to," he said.

"We have to bring that out from the kick off this weekend because we can't afford to give them a 19-point lead and chase it back."

The Springboks won the first Test in Durban 26-21, a raft of late replacements disrupting the home side's rhythm and allowing the Lions, who had squandered several try-scoring opportunities, in for two late converted tries.

"We probably didn't play early enough last weekend and that was to our detriment," said O'Driscoll, who looked dangerous in midfield with centre partner Jamie Roberts when they got the ball.

"Hopefully we can play earlier in the first half on Saturday, cut off the Springboks and make them work for their scores a little bit more than we did last weekend.

"Obviously we were hopeful to win that game but it's done now and we are out to win Test two and three and it is as simple as that."

Lions head coach Ian McGeechan has made five changes to the starting line-up that takes to the field in what is arguably one of the toughest grounds to play at because it is at altitude and offers a fervent home support base.

Welsh tighthead prop Adam Jones and hooker Matthew Rees come in for Phil Vickery and Lee Mears, who struggled in the first Test and were dropped from the match-day 22.

Captain Paul O'Connell will be partnered in the second row by English veteran Simon Shaw, the sole survivor of the Lions 1997 tour and starting his first Test after 17 midweek appearances on three tours.

Alun Wyn Jones falls to the bench alongside England prop Andrew Sheridan and Scottish hooker Ross Ford.

In the backs, Ireland's Rob Kearney replaces the injured Lee Byrne at full-back while Luke Fitzgerald's good showing in Tuesday's 13-all draw with the Emerging Springboks sees him oust Ugo Monye on the left wing.

Monye misses out on a place among the subs, with the more versatile Shane Williams called up.

For the Springboks, Schalk Burger returns from injury to take the place of Heinrich Brussow, the only change coach Peter de Villiers made to the Durban starting XV.

On the bench, boasting five forwards and just two backs, Brussow and hooker Chiliboy Ralepelle take the places of prop Gurthro Steenkamp and scrum-half Ricky Januarie.

The heavyweight bench will be part of the Springbok's physical approach to the Pretoria Test, according to assistant coach Dick Muir, who masterminded the Emerging Springboks' 13-all draw against the Lions on Tuesday.

"We are going to have to be more physical in Pretoria," Muir said. "It is the South African way and we have guys who like confrontation.

"When it gets messy up front, we know that we can match any side. We have to get our big forwards involved from the start and make sure that we control the game.

"We gave away too much possession in Durban and did not take control. That allowed the Lions to gain some momentum, so the more physical the game is, the better it will be for us."

Teams (15-1)

SOUTH AFRICA: Francois Steyn; JP Pietersen, Adrian Jacobs, Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana; Ruan Pienaar, Fourie du Preez; Pierre Spies, Juan Smith, Schalk Burger; Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha; John Smit (capt), Bismarck du Plessis, Tendai Mtawarira

Replacements: Chiliboy Ralepelle, Deon Carstens, Andries Bekker, Danie Rossouw, Heinrich Brussow, Jaque Fourie, Morne Steyn

BRITISH AND IRISH LIONS: Rob Kearney (IRL); Tommy Bowe (IRL), Brian O'Driscoll (IRL), Jamie Roberts (WAL), Luke Fitzgerald (IRL); Stephen Jones (WAL), Mike Phillips (WAL); Jamie Heaslip (IRL), David Wallace (IRL), Tom Croft (ENG); Paul O'Connell (IRL, capt), Simon Shaw (ENG); Adam Jones (WAL), Matthew Rees (WAL), Gethin Jenkins (WAL)

Replacements: Andrew Sheridan (ENG), Ross Ford (SCO), Alun Wyn Jones (WAL), Martyn Williams (WAL), Harry Ellis (ENG), Ronan O'Gara (IRL), Shane Williams (WAL)

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