Lions captain Sam Warburton returns home with the Tom Richards Cup © PA Photos

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British & Irish Lions captain Sam Warburton fears his side's historic achievement may not hit home until he sits down to watch it again on DVD.

Warburton steered the Lions to a series victory over Australia with their stunning 41-16 victory in the third and decisive Test setting the seal on a first triumph for 16 years and a first against the Wallabies since 1989.

The Lions returned home from their six-week, 10-game tour yesterday with the significance of their achievement still sinking in. "t is a great feeling. It has been a long time coming this Lions tour so it is nice to come back with a trophy," Warburton told PA Sport. "It has only been done nine times in 125 years so all the players know they are part of a very prestigious group and are very proud of that.

"It won't sink in for a long time, I think. It feels quite surreal being part of a Lions touring party. Only four years ago I got capped for Wales during the first Lions tour. I got on the development tour and I never thought I would be in this situation four years later.

"Maybe in a few months' time or a few years' time I might watch back a DVD and realise what we achieved."

His sentiments were echoed by fellow Welshman Jamie Roberts who recovered from injury in time to play a key role in the Lions' crucial third Test victory. "It will probably take a few weeks for it to sink in for what we have achieved in Australia. For all 80 people on that tour, it is something to savour for the rest of our days. We made history.

"Ultimately, not many Lions tours are victorious, especially over the last 50 or 60 years. We are very proud of that and hopefully the boys can enjoy a good off-season now over the summer and just really reminisce for what we have achieved."

It was a particularly sweet result for Roberts, having missed three weeks with a hamstring injury. "At one point of the tour I thought I was going home with my hamstring, certainly when I did it," Roberts, a qualified doctor, said. "I was very nervous about what the scan would show. I pretty much accepted I was probably going home.

"It was quite a nasty hamstring tear so I owe my appearance in the third test to the medical team on tour. Team doctor [James] Robson and Prav [Mathema], the physio, worked their magic."