Ireland's Ronan O'Gara becomes the fifth player to lead the Lions on their current tour and the fourth Irishman © Getty Images

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Matches: Emerging Springboks 13 - 13 British and Irish Lions

Players/Officials: James Hook | Ian McGeechan | Ronan O'Gara | Andrew Sheridan | Martyn Williams

Tournaments/Tours: British and Irish Lions tour

Teams: British and Irish Lions | Ireland | South Africa | Wales

Grounds: Newlands Stadium

Ireland fly-half Ronan O'Gara will captain the British and Irish Lions against the Emerging Springboks at Newlands on Tuesday night.

O'Gara, who becomes the fifth different skipper on tour following Paul O'Connell, Brian O'Driscoll, Phil Vickery and Donncha O'Callaghan, leads a side that contains six players who were involved in Saturday's 26-21 first Test defeat against world champions South Africa.

O'Callaghan and Martyn Williams, who started the King Park loss on the bench, both line-up against the shadow Springboks 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.

"There were many positives that came out of the Test match on Saturday. The Emerging Springboks match, and our training this week, will allow us to build on these plus address areas we know we need to improve on," said head coach Ian McGeechan.

"There is still a lot to play for and the players are well aware of that. The mood in camp is still very positive due to the fact that we did come very close to winning on Saturday and the fact that we created so many scoring opportunities. The players are well aware of the importance of the match tomorrow against the Emerging Springboks. We need to step up our performance against a talented outfit whose players, like ours, will be determined to show that they are worthy of a Test place. It should be a great match.

"Ronan O'Gara will lead the team against the Emerging Springboks which is a well deserved honour for a senior player who has served Munster, Ireland and the British & Irish Lions with distinction," added McGeechan.

The Lions boss also remains hopeful that Sheridan will be in contention for Saturday's second Test against South Africa in Pretoria after suffering his back injury against the Southern Kings last week. "The medics are working on Andrew Sheridan, hopefully to have him fit for a full training session on Thursday," said McGeechan.

Wales fly-half James Hook has already thrown his hat into the Test selection ring after gaining neurosurgical clearance following a bang to the neck and head he took in Port Elizabeth. Hook is on the bench tomorrow, while fullback Lee Byrne took a part in training today after a foot injury forced him off just before half-time against the Springboks.

"We will take a look at some players with a view to the combinations we might put together for Saturday," said McGeechan, who will pick his latest Test side on Wednesday. "It's always important if you have had a defeat to be able to come back well. For all the players, we've said there are things we have to look at carefully. We are not picking the Test side until Wednesday, and the players want to put themselves as much in the front-line as possible for selection, which from a coaching point of view is ideal.

"This is as good a squad atmosphere as I have ever experienced on a Lions tour. This last two weeks is when you see the real benefits of that. We've just got to keep in balance what went well, what went right and why it did, and obviously the things that didn't go as well and what we want to do to address that."

British & Irish Lions: K Earls (Munster and Ireland); S Williams (Ospreys and Wales), R Flutey (Wasps and England), G D'Arcy (Leinster and Ireland), L Fitzgerald (Leinster and Ireland); R O'Gara (Munster and Ireland, capt), H Ellis (Leicester and England); T Payne (Wasps and England), R Ford (Edinburgh and Scotland), J Hayes (Munster and Ireland), D O'Callaghan (Munster and Ireland), N Hines (Perpignan and Scotland), J Worsley (Wasps and England), M Williams (Cardiff Blues and Wales), A Powell (Cardiff Blues and Wales).

Replacements: L Mears (Bath and England), P Vickery (Wasps and England), S Shaw (Wasps and England), D Wallace (Munster and Ireland), M Blair (Edinburgh and Scotland), J Hook (Ospreys and Wales), U Monye (Harlequins and England).