St Mary's celebrates the arrival of the Webb Ellis Cup as part of the Rugby World Cup Trophy Tour

St Mary’s University, Twickenham celebrated the arrival of Rugby’s greatest prize, the Webb Ellis Cup, today as part of the Rugby World Cup Trophy Tour. Staff, students and distinguished guests attended the event including local MP Dr Tania Mathias. During the day local primary school pupils took part in sports sessions with St Mary’s students from the BA Physical and Sport Education programme. Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby, the National Governing Body have provided further support for the event and involved Canterbury Wheelchair Rugby Club, the Panathlon Challenge and Richmond’s first youth wheelchair rugby club. Director of Sport St Mary’s Andrew Reid-Smith said, “The arrival of the Webb Ellis Cup at St Mary’s provided the ideal opportunity to showcase Rugby and with the coaching of children and wheelchair Rugby taking place. Everyone was really excited to see the trophy and we hope people are inspired about the sport and looking forward to Rugby World Cup 2015.” Rugby is at the heart of the Trophy Tour, visiting more than 100 Rugby clubs, organisations and Rugby festivals, from grassroots to elite level. In addition to this, Host Cities, Match Venues, community and legacy programmes, sports events, stakeholder visits, Worldwide Partner activations and iconic landmarks will feature as part of the Trophy Tour with over 300 events programmed across the 100 day continuous tour. The Trophy Tour has travelled through Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Wales and England before arriving at Twickenham Stadium on September 18^th ahead of Opening Ceremony of Rugby World Cup 2015.