Sam Warburton insists the British & Irish Lions are determined to remove the need for a series decider by toppling Australia tomorrow in a match he views as the biggest of his career.
The Lions enter the second Test at the Etihad Stadium, where the roof will be closed, on the brink of their first series victory for 16 years after edging the Wallabies 23-21 in Brisbane last weekend.
Tour captain Warburton is braced for an all-out assault from Australia as they seek to turn the Sydney showdown on July 6 into the pivotal encounter, and knows the 2013 squad must produce "something special" if they are to secure their place in history.
"I've had nervous excitement this week," the 24-year-old open-side said.
"It's quite strange when you wake up every day knowing that this time in a few days you could be series winners.
"The game can't come quick enough. There's no complacency, thinking we have a week off, because there's another opportunity in the third Test.
"If we need the third Test then the momentum will have swung completely. We definitely want to finish it off this weekend and the players are motivated to do that.
"I think this will be the biggest game of my life. Winning a Lions series will be something nobody's achieved since 1997.
"It's knowing what you could achieve, but also that it will take something special to do that."
Kurtley Beale missed a match-winning penalty in the final act of the game to condemn the Wallabies to defeat in a gripping contest at the Suncorp Stadium that is being talked of as one of the great Lions Tests.
"Australia will bounce back," said Warburton. "They were only a kick away from winning last weekend. They know they have a chance of getting the Test series back.
"Australians being Australians, they are very optimistic and competitive. There's no way they'll be down and out.
"They'll come out firing. It's all or nothing for them."
Lions head coach Warren Gatland has made five changes for tomorrow, with wing Tommy Bowe, flanker Dan Lydiate, prop Mako Vunipola and Leicester Tigers duo Ben Youngs and Geoff Parling called up to the starting XV.
Bowe displaces the unfortunate Alex Cuthbert, who scored a fine try at the Suncorp Stadium, after making a remarkable return from a spiral fracture in his hand.
Nearly three weeks ago, it was feared that the 29-year-old was out of the tour, only to be reassured he could still participate in the series if he underwent intensive physiotherapy after the operation.
"To now be involved in one of the biggest games of my career is pretty surreal," said Bowe.
Australia: Beale; Folau, Ashley-Cooper, Leali'ifano, Tomane; O'Connor, Genia; Robinson, Moore, Alexander, Douglas, Horwill (capt), Mowen, Hooper, Palu. Reps: Fainga'a, Slipper, Kepu, Simmons, Gill, Phipps, Horne, Mogg.
Lions: Halfpenny; Bowe, O'Driscoll, Davies, North; Sexton, B Youngs; Vunipola, T Youngs, A Jones, A-W Jones, Parling, Lydiate, Warburton (capt), Heaslip. Reps: Hibbard, Grant, Cole, Croft, O'Brien, Murray, Farrell, Cuthbert.
