Leicester Tigers' scrum-half Harry Ellis says the British & Irish Lions are desperate to do themselves justice by winning today's final Test against South Africa.

The 27-year-old has again been selected to start the game in Johannesburg from the bench .

Welshman Mike Phillips has been given a starting berth for the third consecutive time by head coach Ian McGeechan.

Ellis said that the changing room was a pretty desolate place after the agonising nature of their 28-25 defeat last Saturday in Pretoria.

But he says there is still "plenty to prove" from the Lions camp before they leave the tour and enjoy a well-earned break after an arduous season.

"The changing room was a scene of total disappointment at the end of last week's match," he said.

"It was a great game and we played really well. It came right down to the wire and shows just how fine the line is between defeat and success at this level of rugby.

"We were here to win the series and it was all set up nicely – but we have had to pick ourselves up quickly and prepare for this weekend because we need to get a win.

"It has been really special out here and there had been a great buzz. We want to make sure that we come away with a Test victory.

"We have won all of our provincial games but the main thing was to win the series.

"We feel that we have got a lot to prove and it would be very frustrating if we came away without winning anything.

"After what happened in 1997 (Lions won the series 2-1), the dream was there for us to do it again.

"There's still great belief that we can end the tour on a high and we are all motivated to do just that this weekend.

"Training has been intense this week and we all want to sign off on a winning note."

Ellis's Tigers team mate Tom Croft drops to the bench for the final game of the tour and is replaced by Wasps' Joe Worsley at blindside flanker.

It is one of seven changes made to today's starting line as injury robs the Lions of the likes of Jamie Roberts, Brian O'Driscoll, Gethin Jenkins and Adam Jones.

If the tourists come away from Ellis Park with another defeat, it will be the eighth consecutive reverse for the Lions after a 2-1 defeat in Australia in 2001 and a 3-0 drubbing in New Zealand in 2005.