Midweek defeats are OK ... if we beat All Blacks – prop star McGrath

JACK McGrath insists the British and Irish Lions would stomach more losses in New Zealand if that meant toppling the All Blacks.

The Lions slipped up 22-16 to the Blues on Wednesday, with Sonny Bill Williams setting Ihaia West free for a stunning late winning score.

Head coach Warren Gatland believes the Lions will benefit from facing the country’s toughest Super Rugby sides before the three-Test All Blacks series starts on June 24.

And, asked if the Lions would swap midweek wins for a first series triumph over the All Blacks since 1971, Ireland prop McGrath replied: “I think so. This is another building block for us.

“They are a tough side – there’s a lot of internationals in the team.

“To get it right further down the line and lose maybe one or two on the way, we definitely take that, yeah.”

The 2017 Lions tour has been dubbed one of the toughest of all time, due to shortened preparation time and a 10-match schedule against New Zealand’s finest.

The Lions must now move on to face the Crusaders tomorrow – a side boasting a perfect 14 wins from 14 Super Rugby matches this term.

But McGrath claimed, where others see dread, the Lions only visualise rich - albeit hugely testing - opportunity.

“We always knew the tour was going to be tough; we’re not looking at it as a daunting task, we’re looking at is as an opportunity,” McGrath said.

“(Wednesday’s match) probably says the opposite but in areas we did well – it’s just our discipline. We are confident we just have to move on.”

Meanwhile, McGrath’s Ireland colleague Garry Ringrose is refusing to get distracted by a possible Lions call-up as he concentrates on delivering for Ireland during their summer tour of the United States and Japan.

The 22-year-old centre was unlucky to miss the cut for Gatland’s 41-man Lions squad and the coach has name-checked Ringrose several times when asked about potential players on standby, should injury claim one of his front-line midfielders on the gruelling 10-game trip to New Zealand, but Ringrose is focused on doing a job for Ireland.

“That’s the least of my worries,” he said of the Lions talk.

“I feel so lucky to go and represent Ireland for the next three weeks against USA and Japan. This time last year I missed out on a summer tour (in South Africa).

“I appreciate the fact that I am pretty lucky, from where I have come from last year, to come and play on the summer tour. It wouldn’t be too much of a concern.

“Hopefully we get the matches (in New Zealand) up on the projector and support the lads that are there.”