Andy Farrell: It might take one or two beers before Lions players understand their achievement

The tourists became only the third Lions side to win a series in the professional era, following successful victories over South Africa in 1997 and the 2013 Australians.

ON A RAINING NIGHT IN SYDNEY: British & Irish Lions head coach Andy Farrell before the third test. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile.

Andy Farrell told his disappointed British & Irish Lions they will soon understand the scale of their achievement in winning the series over Australia, despite missing out on a 3-0 clean sweep on Saturday.

The Lions lost the third and final Test to a Wallabies side that led in four of the six halves of this three-game set, going down 22-12 in the midst of a deluge at Accor Stadium and a 37-minute delay for lightning on a stormy night in the Sydney suburbs.