Phil Vickery has admitted nerves got the better of him ahead of his First Test mauling at the hands of Tendai "Beast" Mtawarira but insists his confidence has not been dented ahead of tomorrow's rematch.

The London Wasps prop returns to the Lions starting line-up for the final Test at Ellis Park as the tourists go in search of a face-saving win with the series already lost.

Adam Jones's dislocated shoulder suffered in last week's Pretoria defeat has given the 33-year-old Raging Bull an unexpected chance to right the wrongs from Durban, where he suffered a torrid time in the scrum before being substituted after 45 minutes.

Before that game he spoke of being more nervous than at any time in his 77-cap career and this morning he accepted he had been overwhelmed by the occasion.

Vickery said: "I know I was very, very nervous before the game. I may have been around the block quite a bit but I put a lot of pressure on myself and maybe I just put too much on.

"Maybe nerves did get too much for me. I have looked back at the game and thought exactly that.

"Maybe I was too nervous. It doesn't matter how many times you do what you do in your career you need to prepare yourself for it.

"This time I'm going to try and stay as switched off as I can. Maybe that was a lesson I learned from last time. Hopefully tomorrow I can make sure I don't lose too much energy through nerves. It doesn't get any easier. I'm feeling okay for the minute, though."

Vickery's nightmare First Test looked to have spelled the end of the World Cup-winner's long and illustrious international career.

But despite the battering he suffered at the hands of the 19-stone Beast, Vickery says his self-belief is as strong as ever.

"I'm gutted for Adam but I've been given another opportunity and I'm determined to take it," he said.

"It's always difficult when things don't go well, whatever walk of life you are in, but I'm confident in myself and I'm confident in the people around me.

"You know you haven't played very well when your mum and your wife text you after the game to say they still love you."

Another player in need of a big game in order to restore dented pride is Ugo Monye who returns to the side after being dropped for the Second Test after failing to finish two gilt-edged try-scoring opportunities in the first.

"Last week was tough for me," said the Harlequins winger. "To play in a Lions game in a Test match is really one of the high points of your career.

"It was the proudest moment of my life playing but I was absolutely gutted at the end, not just losing it but probably contributing to that at the same time.

"Playing this game takes you to the highest peaks and then drags you down to the lowest troughs.

"You have only got to look at that Durban Test match to see what sport is all about."

Head coach Ian McGeechan has made eight changes for tomorrow's Ellis Park clash, with Andrew Sheridan starting at loosehead prop in place of Gethin Jenkins, who suffered a fractured cheekbone in last week's brutal Second Test. The match also saw the end of Brian O'Driscoll's tour after the centre suffered concussion.

Forwards coach Warren Gatland today revealed Australian referee Stuart Dickinson had warned both sets of coaches he will not tolerate any of the off-the-ball incidents or verbal abuse that have marred the series.

Gatland said: "It's something that if the referees are strong then it can be eliminated from the game.

"There's always been an element of it but gesturing at players and patting them on the head, we don't need that. I'm glad the referee has said he will be strong on it."