AWJ: Lions are out to restore pride

ALUN WYN JONES has warned South Africa that his Lions will enter Saturday’s series decider intent on restoring their wounded pride.

The tourists fell to their heaviest defeat since the 2005 tour of New Zealand when they were routed 27-9 at Cape Town Stadium, wiping out the advantage gained from edging the first Test.

Jones (inset) accepts that coach Warren Gatland will swing the axe in response to a feeble secondhalf performance in which 21 unanswered points were conceded, but is convinced the series can be rescued.

“It’s going to be obviously the biggest week of the tour now. It’s the last chance to put it right. We’re fortunate we’ve got another week,” the Lions skipper said.

“There has been a lot said about a wounded Springbok but I think the Lions have taken a dent and we need to put it right.

“Immediately after the game we said we had to stick together. There was a lot of eye contact.

“Everyone is well aware that Warren will make changes - he’s notorious for making changes.

“There will probably be opportunities for some and there’s definitely a feeling we can probably put it right. It will be interesting to see what Warren does with the team. But definitely it’s going to be a big week.”

Jones insists it was the Lions’ failings rather than South Africa’s response to defeat in the first Test that led to their downfall.

“From the the outside it probably looked like a backlash, but from where I’m sitting here we didn’t help ourselves,” Jones said.

“They probably did to us what we wanted to do to them.”

The Lions’ Kyle Sinckler could be facing a lengthy ban after he was cited for biting in the second Test defeat on Saturday.