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British and Irish Lions captain Paul O'Connell said a week spent telling his players to "do it for the jersey" had paid off after they secured a 28-9 victory over the Springboks in the final Test.

"It's a very satisfying win because it was a really tough week, especially with key players ruled out, and we had to dig deep," O'Connell said.

"We wallowed for a bit after losing the series in Pretoria, but then we spoke about producing a really big performance for the jersey and our ourselves.

"We spoke about it being some players' first caps and others possibly getting their last cap, but the jersey does things for people, it's the best jersey we can ever pull on," O'Connell said.

Coach Ian McGeechan said his players had come to Ellis Park, where the Springboks had not lost in nine Tests dating back to 2001, with a tremendous sense of purpose.

"The players came with a real intent and focus and to play that way with so many changes shows how well the players integrated," McGeechan said.

"We were very accurate today and tactically we played the way we wanted to."

The most successful ever Lions coach also called for the tour to be treated as a premium event on the international rugby calendar.

"As far as I'm concerned, the two major events on the IRB calendar are the World Cup and the British and Irish Lions tour.

"It shouldn't be out of people's wit to plan two years in advance of the Lions tour and give them a fair chance. We'll have to ask some questions back home about the Lions being given a fair chance to prepare," McGeechan said.

McGeechan rated the series, which the visitors lost 2-1 despite out-scoring the Springboks 74-63 over the three Tests, as one of the most outstanding he has been involved in.

"We played the world champions in their own backyard and gave as good as we got," he said. "We could have come into this final game 2-0 up or at 1-1, but we didn't get any breaks.

"It's been one of the most outstanding series I've been involved in against a side that (Australia coach) Robbie Deans rates the best in the world and I believe he is quite right."

Springbok captain John Smit gave the Lions generous praise.

"They were all over us in all departments, better than us with more intensity and rhythm. It was an emphatic and well-deserved victory," Smit said.

South Africa's most-capped captain said the win over the Lions ranked alongside South Africa's World Cup triumph in 2007.

"Winning the series is a wonderful thing and it absolutely ranks up with the World Cup," he said.

"The Lions tour is one of the most prized things in rugby and if you look at how close and competitive the three Tests were, there's not a lot of games that can provide that sort of top-notch rugby.

"If anything should be kept in rugby, it is the Lions tour," Smit said.

Reuters