Tour skipper Warburton is back in Warren Gatland’s team for the game in Wellington and after the Lions were outfought up front last weekend, the Cardiff Blues man wants to put things right.
“When you come off second best physically, it does hurt you as a player and we were beaten pretty well from a physical point of view last week,” Warburton said.
“We are looking to improve in that area of the game. New Zealand took us on where we are perceived to be strong. We have to improve those areas.”
Warburton is joined by Wales team-mate Taulupe Faletau and Ireland flanker Sean O’Brien in the Lions back-row.
The trio will go head-to-head with Jerome Kaino, Sam Cane and Kieran Read in what is sure to be an intense breakdown challenge.
“I was nervous about selection, but if I was not picked I would have accepted it,” Warburton said.
“The guys have all been through this with their national teams and four years ago with the Lions. They are used to pressure and it won’t faze them. You always treat every game as a must-win.
“We know the Test series will be over if we lose and we don’t want that. We want to take it to a deciding game. We are desperate to make it 1-1.”
The Lions were beaten 30-15 by New Zealand in the first Test in Auckland. Warburton, who has replaced Peter O’Mahony as skipper, wants better discipline from his men.
“Our discipline and penalty count has got to be in single figures and we have to improve our physicality at the line-out, scrum and breakdown,” he added.
“It’s the first time I have played with Sean, I’ve never started a game with him. I’m looking forward to that as he’s one of the best sevens I have played against in my career. I’ll do more at the line-out, but in open play we will both go hard as sevens.
“You can pick eight opensides if you want but if you don’t win the collisions, it’s hard to slow the ball down. New Zealand were crossing the gain line from the first three phases and we have got to be more aggressive in the collisions.
“If we can slow ball down in the first three phases, it makes life much easier.”
The Lions must win at Westpac Stadium to take their three-match series with the All Blacks to a deciding game.
“Peter O’Mahony came up to me and congratulated me and shook my hand. Everybody makes an effort to go up and congratulate each other on selection,” Warburton said.
“Everybody is so supportive of each other. There is no divide between guys playing on Tuesday and Saturday. It’s my favourite group of players I’ve played with.”
