O'Connell sets sights on final triumph to restore pride in Lions shirt
Lions skipper Paul O'Connell fields questions at yesterday's press conference in Johannesburg ahead of Saturday's third test against the Springboks
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DEFIANT Lions captain Paul O'Connell is determined to end the tour on a high after the disappointment of losing the series with their second-Test defeat in Pretoria last weekend.
The Lions have not won a Test since the victory over Australia (eight years and seven defeats ago) but O'Connell says the squad, despite losing centre Brian O'Driscoll and props Adam Jones and Gethin Jenkins to injury, is ready to prevent the Springboks making it 3-0 at Ellis Park on Saturday.
"We came here to win and you play to win -- you don't come for big performances where you lose, you come to win," said O'Connell.
"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. 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.
High
"Guys are just looking forward to the game at the weekend and just finishing on a high," continued O'Connell.
"We've had some time off and got it 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.
"We will be eager to prove ourselves. I don't think the last two weekends' 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 represent amongst the squad and you do feel that all the time."
South Africa and the Lions both announce their Test line-ups today. Bookies rate the Springboks as 3/10 favourites with the Lions at 10/3 and the draw 25/1.
- Hugh Farrelly
