Webb Ellis Cup Completes Trip Down Under
The Webb Ellis Cup has completed the second leg of the Rugby World Cup Trophy Tour in Australia, with a two day visit to Sydney that saw former captain George Gregan take the trophy to the Blue Mountains, youngsters get hold of the cup at a local Grammar School, and ex-player Nathan Sharpe takes on a boomerang challenge.
The Rugby World Cup Trophy Tour, delivered in partnership with Land Rover and DHL, will see the game’s most coveted prize visit 15 countries in the lead up to Rugby World Cup 2015, hosted in England and Cardiff.
Youngsters at Knox Grammar School got a surprise guest at their end of term assembly when the Webb Ellis Cup dropped by, before former captain of Australia and Rugby World Cup 1999 winner, George Gregan, took the Webb Ellis Cup to Katoomba in the picturesque Blue Mountains as part of Land Rover’s Least Driven Path activity – where they are taking the trophy to places it has never been before.
Tim Krieger, brand manager, Land Rover Australia, said: ‘Building on Land Rover’s commitment to supporting all levels of Rugby around the world, we have been proud to support the second leg of the Rugby World Cup Trophy Tour. It has been inspiring to see how Australian fans have truly shown their passion for the Game over the last few days by welcoming the Trophy. The Trophy Tour is a superb initiative to allow fans all over the world the thrill of coming close to Rugby’s most coveted prize and allows Land Rover to continually be at the heart of the Game as we build towards the sport’s showpiece event.’
Day 2 in the city at Darling Harbour, another former Australian captain, Nathan Sharpe, took on boomerang expert Laddie Timbery in DHL’s Rugby v the World Challenge. Sharpe took the spoils in the three part challenge which included a neutral giant Jenga warm-up and a distance and accuracy rugby and boomerang challenge.
Gary Edstein, senior vice president Oceania DHL Express, added: ‘We are proud to have supported this special visit of the Webb Ellis Cup to Australia as part of the first global Rugby World Cup Trophy Tour, and we were excited to see the public interest that is building in the Tournament next year.’
‘Australia’s success in the series against France, and Nathan Sharpe’s win in our DHL Rugby vs Boomerang challenge is an exciting sign of things to come next year, I hope! Now we’ll be helping to deliver the Trophy to Fiji, and can’t wait to see what happens when Rugby legend John Afoa takes on the local Netball team’s representative Maria Lutua as part of our DHL challenge.’
As part of the Rugby World Cup Trophy Tour, the Webb Ellis Cup also visited Sydney Opera House, Bondi Beach, Norths Rugby Club and was guest of honour at a reception hosted by the British Consul General.
Next the Webb Ellis Cup will journey onto Fiji for a three day visit (26-29 June) 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 (confirmed later this year).
