- British and Irish Lions coach Warren Gatland said they're motivated to gain a series win in South Africa.
- They last won a series in South Africa in 1997 when they beat the hosts 2-1 after winning the first two Tests.
- Gatland had a fair bit of success against the Springboks when he was the Welsh coach.
British and Irish Lions head coach Warren Gatland said they want to emulate Sir Ian McGeechan's class of 1997 and leave South Africa with a series win.
Gatland's 2021 group started their tour with a 56-14 win against the Lions at Ellis Park on Saturday, scoring eight tries in the process.
They've got the Sharks on Wednesday at Ellis Park before facing the Bulls, the only South African provincial team the Lions have lost to on the successful 1997 sojourn.
The 2009 series loss, also presided over by McGeechan, remains the Lions series loss after a 2-1 win against Australia in 2013 and a 1-1 draw against New Zealand in 2017.
Gatland was in charge of both those trips and would want nothing more than to inflict defeat on a South African side he had success against as Wales coach.
Gatland said they're not in South Africa to make up the numbers.
"We haven't come here just to make up the numbers. There are few journalists who are writing us off saying that we'll get hammered," Gatland said.
"If we keep improving, and we've got some players who've had success against South Africa and some disappointments too, so that makes it exciting.
"I know how motivated this group is at the moment. They put on the jersey and compete for a Test spot and that makes the coach's job easy.
"We're very motivated to want to leave South Africa with a Test series victory."