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FOREST LAND A DREAM TRIP TO WATCH TWO LIONS TESTS
	13 May 2005 Leicester Forest Rugby Club are set to embark on an end-of-season tour of a lifetime after winning a competition to follow the British and Irish Lions. The club beat off around 1,000 other teams to win an all expenses trip to New Zealand for 22 players. The dream trip, which starts on June 21, includes tickets to the first two tests against the All Blacks as well as entry to the Lions regional game against Manawatu. Leicester Forest will also play two fixtures of their own against sides from Christchurch and Palmerston North. Forest spokesman Mick Beason said: "The majority of people who were told thought it was a wind up because it's one of those things you never win yourself."
He added: "Everybody is delighted, it is the chance of a lifetime. "It was our annual dinner last Saturday and it was the talk of the night." The Ultimate Team Tour competition, run by Guinness, asked teams to guess the make-up of the Lions squad as predicted by a panel of rugby experts. Forest came closest to the final list to land the prize, worth tens of thousands of pounds. As well as tickets to the games, the players will enjoy return flights to New Zealand and 13 nights luxury cruise ship accommodation. Naturally, demand to be a part of the trip is high. Beason said: "The people who selected the side and entered the competition, obviously they were first. "The next lot were team captains and committee members. "We only found out last Thursday and have had a short time to tell Guinness who could go. "It's been frantic with people trying to clear it with their wives and work." Now, the players are eagerly awaiting the trip, and to testing themselves against Southern Hemisphere opposition in their own matches. "We are looking forward to the games," Beason said. "They should be interesting." The trip will cap a successful season for Forest, whose first team remained undefeated in the league to win Midlands 4 East (South). Beason said: "The first team have had a great season and the second team did well in their league. "We had a minis festival that was a great success, and this has topped it all off." A Guinness spokesman said: "Congratulations to Leicester Forest RFC for winning the Guinness Ultimate Team Tour competition. "Their competition entry obviously showed some real rugby expertise, but we're also delighted the prize has gone to such a hard-working local club. "There's nothing better than being at the game with your closest friends and this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for 22 team mates to follow the Lions in New Zealand. "I'm sure they'll have a fantastic time and do us proud in their own tour matches too."