Lions coaches Warren Gatland and Ian McGeechan plot the tourists' revival ahead of the clash with the Emerging Springboks © Getty Images

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Match Pack: Lions fall agonisingly short in Durban

Matches: Emerging Springboks 13 - 13 British and Irish Lions

Players/Officials: Tommy Bowe | Bryan Habana | Ian McGeechan | Ugo Monye | Shane Williams

Tournaments/Tours: British and Irish Lions tour

Teams: British and Irish Lions | Wales

The British & Irish Lions will be keen to get their tour back on track when they take on the Emerging Springboks in Cape Town on Tuesday night.

The elite tourists suffered the first defeat of their current tour at the hands of South Africa in Durban on Saturday and are under pressure to turn things around ahead of the second Test against the Springboks in Pretoria on Saturday.

In order to do that the Lions must see off a formidable Emerging Springboks side packed with talent, none of whom have played for the full national side as per selection criteria, pushing for a place in the Test set-up and determined to heap woe on their visitors.

In exposing the Lions for the best part of an hour at Kings Park last weekend, the Springboks not only gave the tourists plenty of food for thought but also jeopardised the immediate Test future of several of their leading names. As a result, the Lions' last midweek clash also becomes a key proving ground for those players looking to force their way into the Test picture.

Fly-half Ronan O'Gara is one of those with a strong case for a place in the starting line-up for the second Test and the Irishman will lead from the front as the fifth different skipper to have captained the side on their current tour. The Munster veteran was edged out for the famous No.10 jersey by Welshman Stephen Jones but another strong display will see him cement his claims. However, the honour of the captaincy and his place in this side suggests he will once again be warming the bench at best on Saturday.

A total of six players who were involved against the Springboks in Durban are pressed into action again partly to blow the cobwebs of that defeat away and while some can expect to form part of Saturday's squad others may have dropped out of the Test picture altogether.

Lock Donncha O'Callaghan and Martyn Williams, who started on the bench, both line-up at Newlands while Test starters Ugo Monye, Lee Mears, Phil Vickery and David Wallace have been named amongst the replacements.

The side also includes props Tim Payne and John Hayes, who were only recently summoned to join the tour party. England international Payne has flown out as cover for Andrew Sheridan, who has a back strain, while Hayes replaces ankle injury victim Euan Murray.

The Lions' scrum in particular was under immense pressure last time out and they must respond with a vast improvement against the Emerging Springboks to illustrate that they have both learnt their lesson and are ready to settle the score against South Africa on the weekend.

A much-changed pack looks to have more punch but the team as a whole have just one training session under the belts head coach Ian McGeechan is relying heavily on the team spirit to carry the side through.

In contrast the Emerging Springboks have been honing their game alongside the national side over the past weeks in full contact sessions aimed at preparing both teams for the challenge of the Lions.

Springboks assistant coach Dick Muir will guide the shadow Boks into the clash and he can call on several players who have already crossed swords with the Lions. However, all eyes will be on one player who was denied that opportunity.

Fly-half Earl Rose, a member of the Springboks squad, was withdrawn from the Golden Lions side that played the tourists earlier in the tour under the orders of national coach Peter de Villiers. The talented No.10 or fullback has been the subject of much debate with De Villiers a long-time fan and this will be the sternest test of his credential to date.

Rose will be joined by his provincial half-back partner Jano Vermaak at scrum-half who impressed as part of an otherwise hugely disappointing Golden Lions side that went down heavily to the Lions earlier this month while Bulls fullback Zane Kirchner is widely considered to be close to a step up to the Springboks team.

Cheetahs prop Wiaan du Preez is another to have caught the eye during his side's narrow loss to the Lions a game during which he got on the scoresheet. The side will be lead by Blue Bulls flanker Dewald Potgieter who was also part of the Bulls side that marched to Super 14 glory earlier this year.

This maybe the last midweek game of the tour but it will not be lacking in intensity. For many of the Lions it will be as good as a Test match with the chances of them competing in the remaining two clashes with the Springboks remote. Inspiration is also something that the Emerging Springboks will not be short of with all of their players keen to lay down a marker ahead of the remainder of the international season with the Tri Nations around the corner.

The Emerging Springboks have failed to beat the Lions in their four previous encounters - most recently suffering a 51-22 defeat during the tourists' 1997 tour of the country. This latest clash is set to be a lot closer but the Lions' vast experience and their need to regain the momentum stripped from them last weekend should see them get back to winning ways.

Emerging Springboks: Zane Kirchner (Blue Bulls), Luzuko Vulindlu (The Sharks), Deon van Rensburg (Leopards), Morgan Newman (Western Province), Bjorn Basson (Griquas), Earl Rose (Golden Lions), Jano Vermaak (Golden Lions), Duane Vermeulen (Western Province), Jean Deysel (The Sharks), Dewald Potgieter (c) (Blue Bulls), Wilhelm Steenkamp (Blue Bulls), Steven Sykes (The Sharks), Werner Kruger (Blue Bulls), Bandise Maku (Blue Bulls), Wian du Preez (Free State Cheetahs)

Replacements: Tiaan Liebenberg (Western Province), Pat Cilliers (The Sharks), Franco van der Merwe (Golden Lions), Jacques Botes (The Sharks), Heini Adams (Blue Bulls), Willem de Waal (Western Province), Danwel Demas (Free State Cheetahs)

British & Irish Lions: Keith Earls (Munster and Ireland); Shane Williams (Ospreys and Wales), Riki Flutey (Wasps and England), Gordon D'Arcy (Leinster and Ireland), Luke Fitzgerald (Leinster and Ireland); Ronan O'Gara (Munster and Ireland, capt), Harry Ellis (Leicester and England); Tim Payne (Wasps and England), Ross Ford (Edinburgh and Scotland), John Hayes (Munster and Ireland), Donncha O'Callaghan (Munster and Ireland), Nathan Hines (Perpignan and Scotland), Joe Worsley (Wasps and England), Martyn Williams (Cardiff Blues and Wales), Andy Powell (Cardiff Blues and Wales).

Replacements: Lee Mears (Bath and England), Phil Vickery (Wasps and England), Simon Shaw (Wasps and England), David Wallace (Munster and Ireland), Mike Blair (Edinburgh and Scotland), James Hook (Ospreys and Wales), Ugo Monye (Harlequins and England).

Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)

Assistant referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), Jonathan Kaplan (SA)
Television Match Official: Shaun Veldsman (SA)