Vickery: Game was wake-up call

The Lions' laboured 37-25 victory over a team drawn from South African rugby's second tier will hardly set alarm bells ringing in the Springboks camp.

"We are disappointed with the performance but we could have easily lost that game. The guys showed a lot of guts and courage to stick in there," said Vickery. "I think it is a good kick up the backside, which you need. The reality of what faces us on this tour is staring at us."

He added: "The most important thing about the last two weeks is the guys have got together, we've met each other and it is a great group of people and coaches.

"Ultimately, that side of it is all finished now. It's about rugby, and that is why we are here."

Super 14 side the Golden Lions are next up in front of an anticipated 60,000 capacity crowd at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on Wednesday night.

The tourists will make wholesale changes as part of McGeechan's aim to hand every player an outing during the first three fixtures, but defeat beckons unless they deliver a vastly-improved performance.

"It was a very disjointed affair," conceded Lions assistant coach Rob Howley, who also rightly cited the high temperature, altitude and several players having not played for a month as contributing factors.

"When you think of the opening game in 2001 (the Lions beat Western Australia 110-16), we will be much better having been put through the mill like Saturday than playing a side we could have beaten quite comfortably.

"Some of the players were very despondent, but I remember on the 1997 Lions tour after losing to Northern Transvaal, the next performance against Gauteng lifted the tour to another level. I am sure everyone remembers John Bentley's try in that game, and will be looking for that x-factor on Wednesday."