I never think you should shy away from shooting for the stars because you might end up on the moon,” Andy Farrell, the British and Irish Lions head coach, had said earlier in the week. “That’s pretty good as well.

The Lions were unbeaten through their first eight matches of the summer and came from behind to clinch the Australia series in the second Test, but fell to a 22-12 defeat in Sydney in their final tour outing.

Andy Farrell has left the door open to leading the next British and Irish Lions tour after presiding over a 2-1 series victory against Australia.The Lions’ dream of finishing their tour Down Under with a 100 per cent record ended with a 22-12 defeat in the final Test at a rain lashed Accor Stadium,