Lions fan wins trip to New Zealand with passionate speech

For any rugby fan it is a trip to dream of - but now one Welsh supporter is off to watch the Lions thanks to a motivational speech.

Stuart Broad (no, not that one), will be on a trip to New Zealand to see the team take on the All Blacks this summer, after winning a competition with his rendition of Jim Telfer's 1997 speech.

But before he was told of the prize Broad had to perform the speech to a panel of former rugby players.

Richard Hill, who won two caps for the 1997 Lions, Tom Shanklin, who toured New Zealand in 2005, and former England prop David Flatman, were called upon to interview Broad.

The fan, who didn't know he had already been selected for the prize, thought he was competing to win the fairytale holiday, producing an emotional performance for the judges.

Supporters had been asked to write why they deserved to be the Ultimate Lions Fan by specialist professional recruitment consultancy Robert Walters.

And while Broad had impressed enough to win the prize, he was told to put on a Lions shirt and give his best impression of the inspirational speech to prove himself worthy.

Broad did not disappoint - and though his version still doesn't quite compare to the original 'Evererst' speech, which Telfer gave on the eve of the first Test against South Africa in 1997 it still seemed to move Franklin.

The panel pretended to debate Broad's speech while he waited outside, before confirming that he was, indeed, the Ultimate fan.

Broad will fly out to watch the first test, with flights and three days accomadation in Auckland included.

JIM TELFER'S FAMOUS SPEECH

"The easy bit has passed. Selection for the Test team is the easy bit. You have an awesome responsibility on the eight individual forwards' shoulders, awesome responsibility. This is your f***ing Everest, boys. Very few ever get a chance in rugby terms to get for the top of Everest. You have the chance today.

Being picked is the easy bit. To win for the Lions in a Test match is the ultimate, but you'll not do it unless you put your bodies on the line. Every one jack of you for 80 minutes. Defeat doesn't worry me. I've had it often and so have you. It's performance that matters. If you put in the performance, you'll get what you deserve. No luck attached to it. If you don't put it in, then we're second-raters.

They don't respect you. They don't rate you. The only way to be rated is to stick one on them, to get right up in their faces and turn them back, knock them back. Outdo what they do. Outjump them, outscrum them, outruck them, outdrive them, outtackle them, until they're f***ing sick of you.

Remember the pledges you made. Remember how you depend on each other at every phase, teams within teams, scrums, lineouts, ruck ball, tackles.

They are better than you've played against so far. They are better individually or they wouldn't be there. So it's an awesome task you have and it will only be done if everybody commits themself now.

You are privileged. You are the chosen few. Many are considered but few are chosen. They don't think f*** all of us. Nothing. We're here just to make up the f***ing numbers. No one's going to do it for you. You have to find your own solace - your own drive, your ambition, your own inner strength, because the moment's arrived for the greatest game of your f***ing life."