Our indiscipline cost us says Lions skipper

British and Irish Lions’ Owen Farrell (left) and Jack Nowell are dejected during the tour defeat in Dunedin. Below: The Highlanders celebrate their win or another that didn’t happen here.

“You have to give the Highlanders credit because they forced the pressure to give away penalties, but we have to keep penalties to single fingers.”

The failure to capitalise on their try-scoring opportunities has been the Lions’ greatest shortcoming so far on tour, but Warburton, Tommy Seymour and Jonathan Joseph crossed against the Highlanders.

“We gave away too much possession at the breakdown, our first and second arrivals weren’t there quick enough and that’s something we spoke about during the game,” Warburton said.

“They were pretty hard on the ball, so give them credit there, but we turned over too much ball on attack.

“We scored more tries than we have done and when we were direct we looked pretty good. It was a proper game of chess and was tight.

“We need to come away from these with wins and I’m sure there were a few key moments in the game that if we could go back in time, we’d change them.”

Lions head coach Warren Gatland echoed Warburton’s view that the penalty count was decisive, but also rounded on his players’ game management.

“We didn’t nail a few big moments that were important that would have put ourselves reasonably comfortable when we were 22-13 ahead and we let them back into it which is disappointing,” Gatland said.

“The penalty count was reasonably heavy against us as well and that’s a concern. To be in front but lose is disappointing.” ALEX LOZOWSKI is hoping to keep his place in the England team for Saturday’s second Test against Argentina - to gain the household bragging rights.

The 23-year-old Saracens centre’s father Rob played 263 games for Wasps but won just one England cap - against Australia in 1984 - and he was in San Juan with his wife Lisa last Saturday to watch their son match his achievement as he helped his team to a 38-34 win over the Pumas.

“They are having a tour of the country and are here to watch me play as well,” said Lozowski jnr. “If I play on the weekend I will double his tally.

“Obviously I am hugely proud of him and would always boast to my mates that he’d played for England but I used to give him grief, saying ‘you only got one cap’.

“On Saturday my mum took a photo of us two and said ‘this is the one-cap club’. I said please don’t jinx me like that. I just want to get more than one. We will see if I am playing on the weekend. I am sure he will be happy.”

Lozowski jnr, who played for Yorkshire Carnegie and Wasps before moving to Saracens at the start of the 2016-17 season, was one of 10 new caps who all caught the eye last week and is now hoping to get the chance to further impress head coach Eddie Jones in the second Test in Santa Fe as he targets a trip to Japan for the 2019 World Cup.

“The message from Eddie to us was that building towards the World Cup he is looking at players for the squad in 2019 and because we are here we are at an advantage in terms of putting our hand up,” he said

“He told us to make the most of the weeks we are here. We are together for nine weeks in the World Cup so we are trying to simulate what it will be like in a World Cup pool. It is down to us to take the chance while we are here.”

Despite his obvious inexperience, Lozowski has been given the role of defensive captain by defence coach Paul Gustard and he knows he could have no better mentor than his Saracens teammate Owen Farrell, who has been in regular contact from the British and Irish Lions tour in New Zealand.

“He is probably the standard bearer in the world,” he said.