Jim Telfer - 'This Is Your Everest' | 1997 Lions Tour

Watch Jim Telfer's legendary 'Everest' speech - delivered before the first Test of the 1997 series and immortalised in the great 'Living With Lions' documentary.
21 June 1997, Newlands, Cape Town, South Africa
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. An awesome responsibility. This is your 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. Out-do what they do. Out-jump them, out-scrum them, out-ruck them, out-drive them, out-tackle 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, line-outs, 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 themselves 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 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.

[@Oscar-og8hw]

Really enjoy the shot at the start showing Jim continuously going over the speech under his breath. It's often we can forget that great speeches are rehearsed and repeated countless times before being delivered

[@krishnam2297]

Look at these warriors latching on to every word...spine tingling!

[@jamesmcmillan9579]

OMG. What a motivational speech! I've seen it dozens of times but it hits home every time. Am so proud of our Lions !!

[@dannywestern831]

This can be used as a mantra for life

[@barneypaws4883]

Martin Johnson looked Jim Telfer in the eyes during the whole of his speech.

[@trevhoare4658]

what a man id run through a fucking brick wall for him. when he talks you listen he commands repspect hes been there done it he has the right to speak the way he does but boy hes fucking inspiring

[@wiseman2k5]

Martin Johnson. What a man !

[@westscotindex8972]

Successive victories over the springboks in S.A. Everest was climbed.

[@LarryClarry]

Love this and Im a saffa!

[@rob3.16]

I wish Jim telfer was in the welsh football dressing room against England, right now we need that belief & drive what a speech!

[@modmod392]

Wonderful, wonderful.......the power of words.

[@tomryan8997]

Better than any William Wallace speech.

[@bp2352]

It's just a game. Not Braveheart 🤣🤣

[@georgebailey9984]

clearly have never played rugby.