OLD ALBANIAN youth player Florence Jeffcock has won a once in a lifetime prize to become an HSBC cub and train with The British & Irish Lions squad before they leave on their summer Tour of Australia.

A player from each age group playing in the Cambridge RUFC mini rugby festival was selected by the match referees after displaying sporting ability and the values associated with rugby.

Boys and girls from across the county competed at the tournament, supported by HSBC in the build-up to the 2013 British & Irish Lions Tour to Australia, in age groups from U7 to U12.

Throughout the tournament referees were on the lookout for children aged under 13 who demonstrated the core values of rugby as well as sporting ability; attributes such as friendship, courage, team work and fair play were as important as being good at the skills associated with rugby.

Six year old Florence who has been playing rugby for two years was delighted to have been selected.

“I am so happy to have been chosen to meet the British & Irish Lions at their training camp. It’s a real privilege to be able to do this and to meet the best players in the country. I love playing rugby so to meet The Lions is a dream come true for me.”

In all, 23 HSBC Cubs have been selected from mini-rugby festivals around the country in the build-up to The Tour. The HSBC Cubs will attend an exclusive training session with The British & Irish Lions squad on 16th May before the squad leaves for Australia on their Tour.

As part of their sponsorship of The British & Irish Lions, HSBC is partnering with youth rugby festivals across the British Isles in support of grassroots rugby. Over 8,000 children aged seven-18 will take part in youth rugby festivals supported by HSBC in the build-up to the Tour.

For more information about HSBC’s sponsorship of The British & Irish Lions, including details of exclusive customer offers, visit: http://www.hsbc.co.uk/1/2/rugby-lions-tour