Webb Ellis Cup Completes Dubai Rwc Trip

02 Dec 2014 | tshego

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The Webb Ellis Cup has completed its ninth stop of its 15 stage global journey, with the latest seeing the prize land in Dubai as part of the Rugby World Cup Trophy Tour, which aims to showcase the sport in new places around the world.

The first day of the visit saw local pupils get a chance to see the trophy, before the cup acted as guest of honour at a reception hosted by the British Embassy – attended by various members of the local rugby community as well as a number of previous Rugby World Cup stars including former Wales international, Tom Shanklin, former Scotland international, Rory Lawson and former Samoan international, Apollo Perelini.  

Debbie Jevans, chief executive of England Rugby 2015, said: ‘We have had a great reception during our visit and I would like to thank everyone that has hosted the Trophy. With Rugby being popular in Dubai, I hope our visit has helped to spread some of the excitement that is building towards the Tournament next year.’  

The second day of the visit saw Shanklin, who played at both the Rugby World Cup’s in 2003 and 2007, visit the Dubai Hurricanes where he put some of the players through their paces in a training session and signed autographs for local children.

The Trophy Tour is being delivered in partnership with Land Rover and DHL – two long-term supporters of the game and Rugby World Cup 2015 Worldwide Partners.  

Land Rover took the Webb Ellis Cup out of the city of Dubai to give a more remote community the opportunity to get close to the trophy as part of the brand’s Least Driven Path campaign.  

Check out the highlights of the Dubai stage of the Tour at Sport Industry TV.

The Rugby World Cup Trophy Tour has previously visited Japan, Australia, Fiji, Madagascar, South Africa, Argentina, Uruguay and USA. The next stop of the Rugby World Cup Trophy Tour will see the Webb Ellis Cup visit China next week.

The Rugby World Cup, the third largest global sporting event behind the Olympics and Football World Cup, takes place in England and Cardiff next year between 18th September and 31st October.