Tadhg Furlong: 'There's another few levels in us'

'You gauge it from training. Now I’m not a body language expert or vibe expert, whatever you want to call it, but you can just feel it, some weeks you can just feel it'

Hamish Watson, Kyle Sinckler, Mako Vunipola, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Tadhg Furlong, and Tom Curry in training ahead of the Lions’ second Test against South Africa. Picture: INPHO/Dan Sheridan

Tadhg Furlong admits he is no expert on the human psyche, but his assessment of the collective mood in the British & Irish Lions camp will give supporters all the encouragement they could hope for ahead of the second Test.

The Springbok backlash may well be coming at Cape Town Stadium Saturday evening as the world champions bid to take the series into a decisive final Test following their opening 22-17 defeat to the Lions six days ago. Yet Furlong, 28, who will be starting his fifth consecutive Lions Test having played in all three of the drawn series against New Zealand four years ago, senses brimming confidence within Warren Gatland’s squad and a willingness to match fire with fire.