Rugby World Cup Trophy Goes Down Under

The Webb Ellis Cup has touched down for the second leg of the Rugby World Cup Trophy Tour, following its visit of Japan by arriving in Sydney, Australia. 

The Trophy Tour, which is being delivered in partnership with Land Rover and DHL, will see rugby’s most coveted prize visit 15 countries as part of a celebration of Rugby in the lead up to Rugby World Cup 2015, hosted in England.

Last month the Webb Ellis Cup set off to Tokyo, Japan, where it visited locations in and around the city before making an appearance at the National Stadium, which saw Japan qualify for Rugby World Cup 2015. Click here to see the Tokyo Trophy Tour video.

The trophy will be in Sydney for two days and will visit fans and players at Knox Grammar School, Northern Suburbs Rugby Club, the Blue Mountains, Bondi Beach and Sydney Opera House.

Debbie Jevans, chief executive of England Rugby 2015, commented on the tour: ‘We are very excited to be taking the Webb Ellis Cup to Sydney as part of the Rugby World Cup Trophy Tour. The first leg in Japan was hugely successful and the response we saw to the Webb Ellis Cup just highlighted the true excitement for the Game across the globe.’

‘With their proud Rugby World Cup record, Australians are no strangers to the Trophy and I have no doubt that they will be pleased to see it back on their shores, helping us in our global celebration of Rugby ahead of 2015.’

Land Rover’s Least Driven Path will also see the famous trophy driven to the Blue Mountains with the help of former Australian Rugby Union International and Rugby World Cup 1999 winner George Gregan.

Tim Krieger, brand manager, Land Rover Australia, added: ‘After the success of taking the Webb Ellis Cup to Tokyo, Land Rover is thrilled to be helping to grow the anticipation of Rugby World Cup 2015 in another key location on the Rugby map. Even though Australia is a nation that is already hugely passionate about the Game, we are looking forward to taking the Webb Ellis Cup to places it has never been before on our Least Driven Path activity, to even further develop the breadth of the Game.’

Back in central Sydney, the next leg of DHL’s Rugby v The World challenge will kick off with Australian Rugby legend Nathan Sharpe going head to head with boomerang expert Laddie Timbery in three Rugby v Boomerang challenges at Darling Harbour.

After Sydney the Webb Ellis Cup will journey onto Fiji for a visit which will culminate with Fiji taking on the Cook Islands to see who will take the Oceania 1 spot in Pool A at Rugby World Cup 2015, alongside Australia, England, Wales and the Play-Off Winner.