The Lions announce their team for Saturday's third Test today but the fall-out from last weekend's series-ending defeat in Pretoria continues to dominate.

The Lions' have been commendably measured in their reaction to losing a series they could well have won but on the issue of eye-gouging and the extraordinary defence by Springbok coach Peter De Villiers for banned flanker Schalk Burger they have not held back.

Brian O'Driscoll described De Villier's comments as “despicable” and “a disgrace” and though Lions captain Paul O'Connell was anxious to move on from 'Burger-gate' yesterday, he did express his surprise at the fact that Burger got only an eight-week ban while O'Connell's Munster and Ireland team-mate Alan Quinlan received a 12-week suspension for a similar offence that was deemed to be at the “low range of seriousness”.

“It's a bit strange, Burger getting less than Quinny. If anything, the Burger incident looked worse,” said O'Connell.

“But that's for the judiciary to decide. We've got to worry about winning a test match and Burger won't be playing in this game. We've got to worry about the guy who's coming into their team in his place.

“We're not expecting an apology from Burger. It was an unfortunate incident. It was a bad incident and it was there for all to see.

“It has happened but now we all have to move on as a team. We can't get hung up on it, because we have a job to do at the weekend.”

Following the news that the IRB was investigating the Springboks coach for his comments, the South African Rugby Union issued a statement condemning eye-gouging and including a clarification/apology from De Villiers and assistant forwards coach Graham Rowntree could not mask his passion when the issue was raised.

“I'm going to have to tread very carefully here because I can get quite emotional,” said Rowntree.

“I think it was a crass comment, pathetic really and I'm glad that he's had to withdraw it and that it's being investigated a bit further.

“There is no place in the game for gouging, I think it's ridiculous what he (De Villiers) said, for any young aspiring player or parent watching that game and then the national coach says it's okay?”

Rowntree, a grizzled prop forward in his playing days with Leicester, England and the Lions, has been forthright and engaging in his media dealings on this tour and spoke candidly yesterday about his own experiences of gouging.

“I've been gouged, I've seen Dean Richards knock a bloke out for gouging John Wells — that was a good day. It's not something we'll be going into the game worrying about. How a player can think he can get away with it with so many cameras is beyond me.

“I've never gouged anyone, hand on heart. What would make a guy want to do that? What advantage does he think he can away with? There's been a lot of high profile incidents over the last few months — is a greater disincentive the answer? Probably.

“What Burger did was indefensible. There's been no official apology and no unofficial apology as far as I'm aware. But the incident's been dealt with, Burger's been banned, we'll move on.”

Rowntree expects South Africa to go for the jugular in Ellis Park on Saturday and condemn the Lions to their second whitewash in a row following their 3-0 defeat in New Zealand in 2005.

“They are going to try and whitewash us aren't they? They think we're on the ropes emotionally and physically and they fancy their chances. Historically, at the end of a Lions tour your squad is held together by Elastoplast anyway. But, apart from injuries, the players are in really good nick and, believe me, we've got plenty in the tank.”

If the Lions lose on Saturday, it will mean they have gone eight Tests without a victory but Rowntree is adamant that the Lions concept is sustainable in the modern, fixture-congested game.

“The Lions must go on, in its full entirety and that includes midweek games. I think a lot of people are proud of our efforts and gutted for us, we lost by an aggregate of eight points not 38 and we gave it everything.

“Those guys gave everything for that Test and there was immense disappointment afterwards, but it's gone. e don't deserve to go home 3-0.”

With props Gethin Jenkins and Adam Jones unavailable due to injury, together with centre Brian O'Driscoll, there will be enforced changes to the Lions' test selection.

Rowntree confirmed that centre Jamie Roberts, wing Tommy

Bowe and out-half Ronan O'Gara should all be available, while prop Phil Vickery is expected to have recovered from a throat infection in time. Ireland duo Gordon D'Arcy and Keith Earls are in the mix for a place in the midfield while John Hayes will be hoping to get the nod at tight-head over Vickery, who had a torrid time in the scrum in the first Test.

O'Gara, who had a nasty cut to his left eye after the second Test, has shipped some heavy criticism since the missed tackle and penalty concession which allowed South Africa to snatch a late victory but O'Connell is convinced the Munster and Ireland out-half to bounce back.

“He's a bit low but mentally Rog is very tough and that's always been his strongest point,” said O'Connell.

“He's won so many games for teams I've been involved in. These things happen — our careers can never be all up, up, up.”