Springbok assistant coach Dick Muir has promised the British and Irish Lions a "more physical" encounter in the second Test in Pretoria on Saturday, than what they experienced during South Africa's first Test victory last week.

Speaking at a media gathering on Thursday, Muir made it clear that physical dominance is one of the key aspects of the Boks' game plan.

Having conceded the physical advantage in the first Test, which saw the Boks desperately hanging on for a 26-21 - after having held a 26-7 lead going into the final quarter in Durban - Muir said that momentum the tourists gained could be a big benefit to them.

"They [the Lions] finished very strong [in Durban] and showed what a good side they are when they have possession," the Bok assistant coach said, adding: ""They showed they can vary the game quite nicely and would have felt unlucky not to have won that game."

In order to counter that threat the Boks need to control possession and that means dominate the opposition physically.

"Absolutely," Muir said, when asked i the Boks are going to be more physical.

"It is a typical South African style, we've got players who like that physical confrontation and when it gets quite messy up front we know we can match them," Muir said, adding that in Pretoria on Saturday it will be vital to get the Bok forwards right into the game and to control it early on.

"In the first Test we gave away too much possession and they were controlling the game, so it is going to be about that control and momentum, and certainly we want it to be physical."

While the forwards hold the key - and the selection of the physical Schalk Burger ahead of master poacher Heinrich Brüssow is clear indication of where the Boks plan to go with the game - Muir felt the Boks do have the backs to be flexible enough on the day.

He came out strongly in defence of the Bok midfield, and in particularly outside centre Adi Jacobs, who struggled last week to cope with the hard-running Lions backs.

Muir said it was "unfair" to pin last week's defensive lapses on just one player.

"From a backline perspective you defend as a unit, you can't just single out one player.

"Our backline defence did let us down last week, but we worked on that this week and I'm confident we sorted out any issues that there are."

Muir dismissed the notion that Jacobs was still carrying a shoulder injury, which hampered him in the Super 14 and that may be the reason for some of his defensive lapses.

"Adi certainly isn't injured," Muir said of Jacobs, adding: "He has recovered from the shoulder injury he had in the Super 14 and no doubt he'll be up for it [on Saturday]."

The Boks' assistant coach said they can overcome the defensive lapses of last week by controlling possession.

"They managed cut a lot of holes in our defences and when you allow sides to do that they grow in confidence.

"We'll be wanting to shut them out from first phase perspective and when they get their phases going our players will be up for it physically."

365

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