Lions, loins and clowns: The best quotes from the tour down under

The Barbarians came oh so close to toppling a Lions team which had revealed all the enthusiasm you'd expect out of a chicken heading towards KFC.

The New Zealand Herald's Chris Rattue a touch unimpressed by the visitors after their 13-7 win in the opening game of the tour.

He never struck me as the right man for this assignment. He's a journeyman test coach…. there is nothing special about Warren Gatland.

Rattue again, this time suggesting that with Warren Gatland at the helm, the Lions were doomed.

An incredibly proud moment for me and my family. It's something you dream of since you were in nappies.

Huggies for Tadhg Furlong after he made his Lions debut in the 12-3 win over the Crusaders.

There's been a significant campaign against me personally. But that's water off a duck's back to me….I couldn't give a toss if that's happening.

Gatland shrugging off the small matter of the New Zealand Herald depicting him as a clown on the front of their sports’ section.

As good as it was to see them give pass and catch more of a go, it really isn't their thing. They were honest troopers giving it a go - like the stag at his do forcing down the booze to be a good sport, but not enjoying it.

It’s the New Zealand Herald again - this time Gregor Paul’s take on the Lions’ efforts in the first Test.

The New Zealand Herald’s now infamous front cover.

The first try they scored should go down as one of the best tries scored in Test rugby.

Even Steve Hansen doffed his cap to a sweeping Lions' move finished off by Sean O'Brien, but he could afford to be magnanimous after a 30-15 first test win.

I'm a happy clown this week.

Gatland, with a wink in the direction of his critics after the Lions levelled the series.

All credit to Wales...

Hansen after Wales (Ireland and England) won the second Test. Whether it was a simple slip or a bit of a dig at Gatland’s Welshifying of the Lions will be debated until the end of time.

It was the tackle of a man who still hasn't got the violent stupidity of rugby league out of his system.

In condemning Sonny Bill Williams for the incident that earned him a red card, Mark Reason of Stuff.co.nz managed to offend an entire rugby code.

It was an accidental offside.

That moment referee Romain Poite rescinded the late, late penalty awarded to New Zealand that would most likely have won the series, prompting the mother of all northern hemisphere phews.