2009-06-26 08:03:04 -

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AP) - Twelve years after an embarrassing 2-1 loss to the British and Irish Lions and 29 since their last series triumph over them, world champion South Africa aims to wipe out those painful memories on Saturday.
A South African triumph at Loftus Versfeld will open up an unbeatable 2-0 lead and make the third game at Ellis Park, Johannesburg irrelevant. Its only importance would be completing a 3-0 Springbok sweep.
As if last week's 26-21 victory in Durban was too close to call, however, the Springboks have marauding back row Schalk Burger back and will also be aided by playing at altitude, where they tend to play at their best.
If that all sounds bleak for the Lions, however, these visitors won't be shrugged off.
After being dominated in the scrums and mauls and trailing 26-7 in Durban, they hit back with some inspirational ball handling and linebreaking among the backs to go within five points of the Springboks and outscored them 3-2 in terms of tries. If Ugo Monye and Mike Phillips had not wasted chances at the tryline, they would have added three more and won the game.
«Both teams will be better for the run last weekend and we know we will have to step up our performance to ensure that we again take the game to the opposition and are more accurate in taking our opportunities,» said Lions head coach Ian McGeechan, who has made five changes to his starting lineup compared with the loss in Durban.
«As a squad the Lions still have everything to play for. The players know that the outcome of the test series comes down to Saturday and they are determined to take the series to a decider in Johannesburg (July 4).
The bad news for McGeechan and his Lions, however, is that the Springboks know how close they went to throwing victory away at Kings Park last Saturday and are out to make sure that doesn't happen again.
Although Heinrich Brussow had an outstanding first start for the Springboks in Durban and scored one of the team's two tries, he has been replaced by Burger in the starting lineup with South Africa going for its strongest available lineup to capture a series-winning victory.
«The one big advantage we do have playing Australia and New Zealand is that we play them so much and we know them,» Burger said. «We don't play that often against the Northern Hemisphere teams so it's quite a challenge. Especially last week.
«There were a couple of things we hadn't seen. When you play Australia and New Zealand you're pretty much well prepared for what's coming. There are certain players we haven't seen that much of and they really impressed us.
Now the Springboks will be ready for Jamie Roberts' bursts through the midfield, Brian O'Driscoll's weaving runs and Tom Croft's ability to break off the mauls and charge for the line.
They also have an all-Welsh front row _ the Lions' first in an official test since 1955 _ which hopes to make sure Springbok loosehead prop Tendai «Beast» Mtawariri doesn't dominate as he did for 50 minutes last weekend.
Adam Jones and Matthew Rees will lineup alongside countryman Gethin Jenkins against Mtawariri, Bismarck du Plessis and South African captain John Smit in a confrontation which will go a long way to deciding who wins the second test and maybe the series.
O'Driscoll said the Lions couldn't afford to let the Springboks open up another big lead.

«Some of the (Lions) rugby played at the weekend showed some confidence and that we can play the game we want to,» the former Lions captain 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.
Lineups
South Africa: Francois Steyn, J.P. Pietersen, Adrian Jacobs, Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana, Ruan Pienaar, Fourie du Preez; Tendai Mtawariri, Bismarck de Plessis, John Smit (captain), Bakkies Botha, Victor Matfield, Schalk Burger, Juan Smith, Pierre Spies.
Replacements: Chiliboy Ralepelle, Deon Carstens, Andries Bekker, Danie Rossouw, Heinrich Brussow, Morne Steyn, Jaque Fourie.
Lions: Rob Kearney, Tommy Bowe, Brian O'Driscoll, Jamie Roberts, Luke Fitzgerald, Stephen Jones, Mike Phillips, Gethin Jenkins, Matthew Rees, Adam Jones, Simon Shaw, Paul O'Connell (captain), Tom Croft, David Wallace, Jamie Heaslip.
Replacements: Ross Ford, Andrew Sheridan, Alun-Wyn Jones, Martyn Williams, Harry Ellis, Ronan O'Gara, Shane Williams.