- Fiat Professional has once again pitted football against rugby in the Fiat Professional 4×4 Challenge, to determine which sport has the best driving skills.
- Danny Mills (England), Jackie McNamara (Scotland), Lee Byrne (Wales) and Geordan Murphy (Ireland) compete for the sporting bragging rights
Fiat Professional has given Lee Byrne and Geordan Murphy the chance to redeem rugby’s pride in part two of the Fiat Fullback Challenge – The Fiat Professional 4×4 Challenge. Once again famous fullback’s Danny Mills (England) and Jackie McNamara (Scotland) made up Team Football, while ex-Lions fullbacks Geordan Murphy (Ireland) and Lee Byrne (Wales) represented Team Rugby and put the new Fiat Fullback to the test.
The task for each of the players was to complete a lap of the specially-designed 4×4 course, with their other team member reaching out of the window to touch two flags laid out around the track. Each team would then swap drivers, and touch the remaining two flags; the team who completed the course with the best driving technique, ability, skill and control would be crowned the winner, as judged by a professional driving instructor.
Whilst Team Football certainly appeared to make their way around the course fastest, the superior driving technique and lack of fouls for missing flags by Team Rugby meant they walked away victorious as the Fiat Professional 4×4 Challenge champions.
To view the 4×4 challenge video click here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rj1X70KcG8A
Commenting on the challenge, the victorious former Welsh and British & Irish Lions Fullback Lee Byrne said: “We were pretty chuffed to beat the football boys in the 4×4 driving challenge. It was a really enjoyable test of driving skills – though they may have been quicker around the course, particularly Danny who drove like a maniac, I’m glad the judges recognised our superior technique.”
Former Celtic and Scotland defender Jackie McNamara commented: “We’re obviously disappointed to have lost out today after our earlier victory in the Fullback Challenge. Whilst the challenge was great fun and very different to a usual day at work, maybe going full throttle round the course wasn’t the best idea!”
–ENDS–
With the new Fullback, Fiat Professional has entered the buoyant medium-duty pick up segment which accounts for 650,000 vehicles a year in the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) region. Engineered to meet the broad needs of business users – both professional and recreational – the new Fiat Professional Fullback offers high levels of flexibility and dependability. The front of the Fullback adopts the upmarket appearance of a sports SUV while distinctive swage lines along the flanks tie the front of the pick-up to the rear, integrating the load bed as part of the vehicle’s overall design. Prices start at £21,095 (excluding VAT, VED, delivery and plates) for the 2.4 Diesel 150HP Double Cab 6 Spd Manual SX (MY16).
The all-new Fiat Fullback is available from all Fiat and Fiat Professional dealerships in the UK. For more information or to find your nearest dealership, visit https://www.fiatprofessional.co.uk/uk/Models/fullback-pick-up
Fiat Professional is the commercial vehicle division of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Its range is capable of responding to all professional needs by covering 97 per cent of the market. These are the solid foundations on which the brand is based. With a range of new products, Fiat Professional is evolving by expanding its commercial sales force and dealership network, boosting service quality and accessing new markets with made-to-measure solutions.
The Fullbacks:
Team Football
Danny Mills
Mills, an ex-England international with 19 caps, is best-known for his time at Leeds United, helping them to reach a historic Champions League Semi-Final in the 2000/01 season. He moved to Manchester City in 2004, before being loaned to Hull City (2006), Charlton Athletic (2007) and Derby County (2008). Mills is now a regular commentator for the BBC, presenting BBC Radio coverage of football, while also regularly appearing on Match of the Day 2.
Jackie McNamara
McNamara is a Celtic and Scotland legend, having made 256 appearances for Celtic between 1995-2005, and gained 33 Scotland caps throughout his career. While at Celtic he won the Premier division title four times, the Scottish Cup three times and the Scottish League Cup three times. He then went on to play for Wolverhampton Wanderers, Aberdeen, Falkirk and Partick Thistle. Since retiring he has had management spells at Partick Thistle, Aberdeen and York City, where he is now Chief Executive.
Team Rugby
Geordan Murphy
Murphy is one of Ireland’s most celebrated players of the modern era, playing 74 times and scoring 98 points for his country, during which time he was part of the squad that won the Grand Slam at the 2009 Six Nations. He was selected for the 2005 Lions tour, making two appearances including the third test match. In his club career, he was a one-club man, making 322 appearances for Leicester Tigers, scoring 691 points in the process. Following his retirement from rugby, he has taken up a coaching role at Leicester Tigers as Assistant Coach. During his time at Leicester, he won the Premiership title eight times and the Heineken Cup twice.
Lee Byrne
Byrne made 46 appearances for Wales throughout his career, as well as being named in the 2009 British and Irish Lions tour, featuring in three warm up games and the first test, before a thumb injury cut short his tour. He was a crucial member of the Wales squad that won the 2008 Grand Slam. His club career involved Llanelli, Scarlets, Ospreys, Clermont and the Newport Gwent Dragons.
To download the full set of 4×4 challenge images click here – https://we.tl/gWQmTI6VS9