Rugby World Cup Begins Global Tour
The Webb Ellis Cup has set off to Japan for the first stage of the Rugby World Cup Trophy Tour with the iconic prize set to travel around the globe ahead of the competition next year.
The international Trophy Tour, the first of its kind and delivered by the organising committee for Rugby World Cup 2015 in partnership with Land Rover and DHL, will see rugby’s most coveted prize visit 15 countries over the next 12 months as part of a celebration of Rugby in the lead up to Rugby World Cup 2015, hosted in England and Cardiff.
The Webb Ellis Cup will touch down in Tokyo on Thursday before spending five days in and around the city. It will visit communities where Rugby is well established, such as Keio University, as well those that are new to the Game, such as Yamanashi. The visit is timed to coincide with the top-of-the-table Asian 5 Nations 2014 clash between Japan and Hong Kong, which is also the decisive qualifier for who will secure the Asia 1 spot at Rugby World Cup 2015.
The Trophy will then visit Australia, Fiji, Madagascar, Kenya, South Africa, Argentina, Uruguay, China, USA, UAE, Italy, Germany, Romania and France.
Ruby World Cup 2015 ambassador Will Greenwood said of the tour: ‘Having witnessed the excitement when we brought the Webb Ellis Cup back to England after winning Rugby World Cup 2003, it is now a great honour to send the Trophy off on its journey as we start to build the excitement for Rugby World Cup 2015. I have got no doubt that the Trophy will capture the imagination of loyal fans and people that are new to the Game as it travels around the world.’
England Rugby 2015 chief executive, Debbie Jevans, commented: ‘When we bid to host Rugby World Cup 2015 we made a commitment to excite audiences around the world about the event. The Rugby World Cup Trophy Tour is a great opportunity to celebrate the values of the Game with fans in both established and new rugby markets in the months leading up to the Tournament. As a future Rugby World Cup host and an emerging force in world rugby, Japan is a perfect first stop for the Trophy. We look forward to what promises to be a warm welcome in Tokyo.’
Mark Cameron, brand experience director, Land Rover, added: ‘This is an exciting moment for everyone at Land Rover as we see the start to our sponsorship as Worldwide Partner of Rugby World Cup 2015. The Rugby World Cup Trophy Tour enables us to engage with our customers, staff and rugby fans around the world by showcasing our vehicles capabilities in each destination, driving the famous Webb Ellis Cup to places and communities it has never been to before. We look forward to being an integral part of these celebrations as excitement builds towards next year’s tournament and Japan is a great place to start.’
