The iconic Trophy undertook a five day visit to Buenos Aires and Montevideo, visiting local communities and starring at a number of events.
The visit began on Wednesday October 8 ) with two days in Buenos Aires, which saw the Webb Ellis Cup touring some of the city’s most famous sites, such as The Obelisco de Buenos Aires, Caminito and Floralis Genérica. The Trophy also paid a visit to Argentina’s oldest club and hosts of the first Rugby match, Buenos Aires Rugby and Cricket Club, to mark its 150th anniversary. On the final evening in the city, the Webb Ellis Cup was guest of honour at a reception hosted by the British Embassy.
Then on Friday October 10 the Trophy travelled to Montevideo which included a visit to the Estadio Charrua, where Uruguay beat Russia in the Playoff Final. The result means Uruguay are the final side to qualify for Rugby World Cup 2015, joining England, Australia, Wales and Fiji in Pool A. They will play their matches in Cardiff, Birmingham, Milton Keynes and Manchester.
England Rugby 2015 Chief Executive, Debbie Jevans, said: “This has been another successful leg of the Rugby World Cup Trophy Tour, which has seen a celebration of Rugby in Buenos Aires and Montevideo to welcome the Webb Ellis Cup. Congratulations to Uruguay who become the final team to qualify for Rugby World Cup 2015. We look forward to welcoming them to England next year.”
The Trophy Tour, which is being delivered in partnership with Land Rover and DHL – two long supporters of the Game and Rugby World Cup 2015 Worldwide Partners – is the first time Rugby’s most coveted prize has been showcased around the world, visiting 15 countries over 12 months as part of a celebration of Rugby in the lead up to Rugby World Cup 2015, hosted in England and Cardiff.
Former Argentinean Rugby captain and Rugby World Cup legend, Felipe Contepomi, joined the Trophy Tour as Land Rover drove the Webb Ellis Cup into the suburbs of northern Buenos Aires to San Pedro School and Virreyes Rugby Club. A Land Rover ambassador and the leading points-scorer for his country, Contepomi helped Premiership Rugby launch HITZ Argentina by conducting training sessions for the local children. An extension of the UK’s award-winning HITZ programme, which uses the core values of Rugby to overcome some of the great challenges facing young people today, HITZ Argentina will continue this work by helping tackle the problems faced by children in some of Buenos Aires’ toughest inner city areas. The programme will be supported in the region by Land Rover, who will fund three coaches who will be responsible for training young people on a day-to-day basis.
The visit to Montevideo featured Land Rover’s sixth instalment of the brand’s commitment to take the Webb Ellis Cup to places it has never been, the Least Driven Path, which saw the Trophy driven 80 miles to the east of Montevideo to Punta del Este. With the picturesque backdrop of the Atlantic coastline, the local residents were given the chance to get close to Rugby’s most coveted prize.
Managing Director of Jaguar Land Rover Latin America, Terry Hill, commented: “The introduction of the HITZ programme to Argentina is very exciting, with huge potential to affect significant change through the positive impact that Rugby can have on young children’s lives. Land Rover is proud to be a partner of Premiership Rugby and the HITZ initiative, building on the brand’s commitment to all levels of the global game of Rugby, and the excitement on the faces of the locals on seeing the Webb Ellis Cup on the Least Driven Path, serves as a reminder of the passion that the region has for the game.”
As part of its fifth instalment of the DHL Rugby vs the World challenge, Argentinian Rugby World Cup legend Felipe Contepomi went head to head with childhood friend and one of the nation’s best Polo players, Nacho Novillo Astrada, both of them fighting it out in a series of three challenges, which Nacho managed to win by one point after impressing with some incredibly strong grubber kicks.
Moving on to Uruguay, DHL went to spread the excitement and suspense in the run-up to Rugby World Cup 2015 by pitching the true national hero and Rugby legend Gustavo Zerbino against one of the most-talked about and celebrated Uruguayan Basketball players, Luis “Bicho” Silveira. “Bicho” showed everyone exactly why he was one of the most admired and applauded men on court as he dominated the challenges to take home the win. Both men managed to leave Montevideo having inspired bystanders, guests and fellow sports-men alike.
Country Manager, DHL Express Argentina, Alejandro Jasiukiewicz, commented: “DHL sees tremendous synergies between a sport that is built on honesty, teamwork, passion and a will to win and the values that we strive to bring to life every day for our customers. Rugby, as one of the fastest growing global sports and DHL, as the world’s leading logistics company and most international company in the world, make a perfect match. DHL Argentina is ready to build the excitement and anticipation for RWC 2015.”
The next stop of the Rugby World Cup Trophy Tour will see the Webb Ellis Cup visit the USA at the end of October.
See video below:
https://ca38d52bebef3d94bff4-336e280eec608d94eff069351ed5e0ef.ssl.cf3.rackcdn.com/FINAL%20WRAP%20V2.mov
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