“This is the third occasion I’ve been to New Zealand and I’ve had a few official welcomes, but that was like nothing I’ve ever experienced before,” Lions captain Sam Warburton told the New Zealand Herald.

“It was fantastic. I think all of the players ... have probably realised it’s going to be one of the best experiences they’ve had outside of their rugby careers.”

The side learned shortly after their arrival of the attack in London, where militants drove a van into pedestrians before stabbing several others.

Six people were killed and more than 30 injured, while police shot the three attackers dead.

“In future performances and wins, we’ll dedicate to those who have been involved,” Warburton added.

Plenty to work on for frustrated Lions after tour opener

“And I guess we can play a small part in trying to cheer a majority of the nation up by trying to be successful over here.

“We’ll commit our performances and all our efforts to those involved recently in London.”

Lions coach Warren Gatland said after the game against the New Zealand Provincial Barbarians that several members of his side were still dealing with jet lag, and lacked cohesion due to a disrupted buildup before they left Britain.

However, former All Blacks prop Richard Loe, a provincial and international teammate of Gatland, wrote in his New Zealand Herald column on Sunday that the Lions could not hide behind excuses after their poor performance.

British & Irish Lions on song ahead of ‘cracking’ All Blacks tests

“The Lions and their management must do some immediate temple massaging after scraping home against the Baabaas,” Loe wrote. “There will be apologists, but that was horrible and they’d better get their act together. That was pathetic.”

Rugby writer and sports historian Phil Gifford was similarly scathing in his column in the Sunday Star Times.

“In blunt terms the Lions looked incompetent,” Gifford wrote. “How could a team stacked with nothing but internationals for so long look so leaden footed, so lacking in confidence they took kicks at goal instead of looking for tries from a lineout, so lacking in co-ordination and attacking ideas?”

New Zealand Herald rugby journalist Gregor Paul was a little more circumspect, refusing to consign the tour to the dustheap after just one match.

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However, he said the pace of the game in New Zealand could prove decisive, with a massive step up needed for the clash on Wednesday against Super Rugby’s Auckland Blues.

“The real issue was that the Lions looked decidedly pedestrian in all that they did,” Paul wrote. “The Lions struggled with the pace of the game – not so much physically, but mentally.

“They didn’t have the natural instincts to pounce on opportunities when they came.

“When the opposition become highly motivated Super Rugby teams, the opportunities for the Lions will have an even shorter shelf-life and the reaction times have to be phenomenally good to see, react and expose.”