World Cup trophy tour gets royal send-off in London
Prince Harry starts promotional campaign with Webb Ellis Cup to mark 100 days until tournament begins
Rugby royalty met the real thing at Twickenham on Wednesday when Jonny Wilkinson and Britain’s Prince Harry sent the Webb Ellis Cup on its tour of Britain to mark 100 days until the start of the World Cup.
Wilkinson, the drop-goal hero of England’s 2003-winning team and a veteran of four World Cups, and Prince Harry, honourary president of organisers England this year, took part in a ceremony flanked by delighted local schoolchildren, with massed ranks of employees of the Rugby Football Union looking down from the stadium’s West Stand.
As we have shown with the Olympic, Commonwealth and Invictus Games, we are a nation of great hosts; a nation that seizes the moment. The world will be expecting us to deliver and I know we won’t disappoint
“I am pleased to send the Webb Ellis Cup on the World Cup trophy tour which will enable rugby fans from across the country to play their part in the build-up to the tournament,” Prince Harry said before another 2003 winner Will Greenwood drove away a Land Rover containing the golden trophy.
“As we have shown with the Olympic, Commonwealth and Invictus Games, we are a nation of great hosts; a nation that seizes the moment. The world will be expecting us to deliver and I know we won’t disappoint.
“This tournament – the most significant moment in English rugby since that night in Sydney in 2003 – has the ability to broaden the reach of the game and deliver a long-lasting legacy for the sport.”
Wilkinson, whose last-gasp drop goal secured that victory, is acting as an ambassador for the tournament since retiring from playing last season but said being back at Twickenham amid all the excitement had got his competitive juices flowing.