Wales defensive coach Shaun Edwards has revealed that he almost quit rugby union after being snubbed for the British and Irish Lions summer tour.
Lions head coach Warren Gatland selected Andy Farrell as his defensive coach for the competition, with Edwards admitting that the decision was tough to take.
"I've had plenty of highs in my professional life - 42 medals as a player, 11 trophies in 12 years as a coach - but the time that tested me most was the three days after discovering that I wasn't going to be part of the Lions coaching squad this summer," he told Press Association Sport.
"Whereas 2009 with the Lions in South Africa was one of the big highs, hearing that I was not going to be part of the set-up in Australia made me want to chuck the whole lot in.
"There were ideas of turning my back on union, going back to league, possibly even leaving the country to re-learn my trade as an assistant coach with the ARL.
"It took me 72 hours to banish those ideas and, on Saturday, among the Welsh players and fellow coaching staff, I understood why I did. They've been great to me, treating me as one of their own and it's a lucky man who can be part of such a set-up."
Wales retained the Six Nations with a 30-3 win over England on Saturday.
