Having lost the opening match of the three-Test series in Durban last weekend, the Lions know that defeat will hand the honours to the Springboks with one Test to spare.
Ian McGeechan's men are desperate to avoid making the third international a dead rubber as they go in search of their first Test-match win in seven attempts. The Lions lost the second and third Tests against Australia back in 2001, all three internationals against the All Blacks four years later and last weekend's opener against the world champions in Durban. A similar result this time out would ensure the 10-match tour peters out quickly prior to the third and final rubber in Johannesburg on July 4.
But if the Lions can defy the odds and somehow secure a victory at Loftus Versfeld, then the balance of power swings suddenly swings in their favour. Issues of altitude and a fervent Afrikaans support make the Lions' task even harder but head coach McGeechan is confident that his side travel to the High Veld in good shape despite their 26-21 defeat on June 20.
"There were many positives to come out of the First Test which we have built upon this week but you've just got to look at starting again," said McGeechan, who has never lost a second Test in five tours as a player or head coach.
"That one is finished, done and dusted. This will be a new challenge and a new game completely.
"You can't say what is going to happen. What you try and do is get your own game right so that you can be competitive, getting our execution and everything else as effective as it can be so that we become a threat and a challenge and produce a game then that is difficult for South Africa to play against.
"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."
McGeechan has made a total of five changes for Saturday's game, with four Magners League players coming into the starting line up and two dropping out.
A thumb injury sustained in training by Ospreys full back Lee Byrne leads to a starting berth for Leinster's Rob Kearney, who impressed in his 42-minute appearance at King's Park in the first Test, while Ugo Monye's failure to take two gilt-edged chances in Durban sees Kearney's club-mate Luke Fitzgerald come in on the left wing.
In the pack, Adam Jones of the Ospreys and Matthew Rees of the Scarlets replace two English-based players in Phil Vickery and Lee Mears, although another Magners League player in Ospreys lock Alun-Wyn Jones drops to the bench as Simon Shaw wins his first Lions Test cap alongside Munster's Paul O'Connell.
On the bench, Ospreys wing Shane Williams and Edinburgh hooker Ross Ford are called up having missed out last time around, while Alun-Wyn Jones, Cardiff Blues flanker Martyn Williams and Munster out-half Ronan O'Gara retain their places in the matchday 22 as Andrew Sheridan also come into the squad.
As for the Boks, head coach Peter de Villiers makes just one change to his starting side, with former IRB World Player of the Year Schalk Burger replacing Heinrich Brussow in the back row. On the bench, hooker Chiliboy Ralepelle replaces prop Guthro Steenkamp and Brussow takes the place of scrum-half Ricky Januarie.
Come 3.50 pm UK time on Saturday we will know if the Lions have anything but pride left to play for in the final Test on July 4. One thing is already certain, however: if the Lions are to pull something out of the bag and take the series to a decider next weekend, then the Magners League will have played its part.
British & Irish Lions
15. Rob Kearney (Leinster/Ireland)
14. Tommy Bowe (Ospreys/Ireland)
13. Brian O'Driscoll (Leinster/Ireland)
12. Jamie Roberts (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
11. Luke Fitzgerald (Leinster/Ireland)
10. Stephen Jones (Scarlets/Wales)
9. Mike Phillips (Ospreys/Wales)
8. Jamie Heaslip (Leinster/Ireland)
7. David Wallace (Munster/Ireland)
6. Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers/England)
5. Paul O'Connell (Munster/Ireland) Captain
4. Simon Shaw (London Wasps/England)
3. Adam Jones (Ospreys/Wales)
2. Matthew Rees (Scarlets/Wales)
1. Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
Replacements
16. Ross Ford (Edinburgh/Scotland)
17. Andrew Sheridan (Sale Sharks/England)
18. Alun-Wyn Jones (Ospreys/Wales)
19. Martyn Williams (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
20. Harry Ellis (Leicester Tigers/England)
21. Ronan O'Gara (Munster/Ireland)
22. Shane Williams (Ospreys/Wales
South Africa (Test caps are in brackets)
15 Frans Steyn (28)
14 JP Pietersen (25)
13 Adi Jacobs (22)
12 Jean de Villiers (47)
11 Bryan Habana (47)
10 Ruan Pienaar (28)
9 Fourie du Preez (44)
8 Pierre Spies (20)
7 Juan Smith (55)
6 Schalk Burger (49)
5 Victor Matfield (81)
4 Bakkies Botha (56)
3 John Smit (82, captain)
2 Bismarck du Plessis (22)
1 Tendai Mtawarira (11)
Replacements
16 Chiliboy Ralepelle (3)
17 Deon Carstens (8)
18 Andries Bekker (14)
19 Danie Rossouw (37)
20 Heinrich Brussow (2)
21 Jaque Fourie (43)
22 Morne Steyn (1)
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