Captain Sam Warburton has revealed he tried to walk out on the Lions before the second test in Wellington two years ago, and was talked out of it by his mum.
The highly respected Welsh flanker, now retired, said he was overwhelmed by emotional and physical pain as the match in Wellington approached, the All Blacks having won the opening encounter.
Reflecting on the drawn series in his just released book Open Side, the British and Irish captain also opened up about a touching moment with his rival captain Kieran Read during one of the series flashpoints.
And the two captains also discussed the possibility of forcing an overtime decider, book extracts in Wales Online reveal.
Warburton also names a handful of Lions players who he believes were the only ones who gave their absolute best on the six week tour under coach Warren Gatland.
