Lawrence Dallaglio, who helped the 1997 Lions record a series triumph over South Africa, today warned the present tour party they must win the opening Test in Durban to have any hope of repeating that historic feat.

The former England captain is urging the Lions to use their "underdogs" tag to help produce something special when they first face the Springboks on 20 June at Kings Park - the same ground where Jerry Guscott kicked the drop goal which gave the 1997 team an unassailable 2-0 series lead.

Dallaglio said: "The Lions will be written off because the South African public expects them to have no chance against the world champions. They have to use this to their advantage and play out of their skins to achieve something special.

"I have no doubt the Lions will win a Test match. It's just a question of will it be the crucial opening one of the series in Durban?

"If they want to take the series, then it has to be victory in that first Test because they will be catching the world champions cold. But it will be a very tough ask for the Lions to emerge with a series win if they lose the opener."

The 1997 success launched Dallaglio's career on the world stage but his subsequent Lions tours to Australia (2001) and New Zealand (2005) were ruined by injury.

This tour has already been hit, with the Lions forced to replace Tomas O'Leary and Tom Shanklin before boarding the plane and Alan Quinlan was ruled out by a ban. And Dallaglio expects further injury setbacks. The former Wasps captain said: "We only lost one player, Peter Clohessy, before the 1997 tour but this current squad had been hit by a series of setbacks before the first game. I have no doubt there will be other injury problems and, as I know from experience, it just a fact of life. The success of the trip could revolve around the Lions' ability to keep their players fit.

"It is heartbreaking to lose squad members to injury and those who remain have to use that anguish and find the determination to honour those who have been forced home.

"The challenge is about to start for this tour party and they have to be prepared to give absolutely everything to achieve a series victory.

"The Lions have a fantastic coaching team and, with the exception of Ireland's Declan Kidney, it is the best that could have been chosen and it contains a wonderful mix of skills.

"They are led by Mr Lions. You cannot imagine anyone else doing this job other than Ian McGeechan and he is backed up by Warren Gatland, who knows what it's like to play against the Lions having helped Waikato beat them in 1993 in what was his best 80 minutes as a player. Shaun Edwards is a respected member of the Lions rugby league team and has now proved himself to be a top coach in union while my old Wasps and Lions team-mate, Rob Howley, has done a great job with Wales.

"The Lions need to lay down a marker in this first match on Saturday and have to accept that it won't be a disaster if they are beaten at some point on the tour. This is a much harder tour than 1997 and there will be more injuries."

* Dallalgio has helped create 'Dallaglio's Heroes' special beer and Greene King will donate five pence from every pint sold to the Professional Rugby Players' Association's Benevolent Fund.