The Final word

Photos and word by Bill Hadgkiss

Bill was busy on the first weekend of the Tournament as a volunteer in Brighton & Hove and he continued his Rugby journey through to the Final. During the Tournament 6,000 members of The Pack completed 22,832 volunteer shifts and 238,995 volunteering hours. Bill explains what it is like to be part of the Pack for the biggest Rugby World Cup ever... 

After my weekend working as a volunteer at Brighton & Hove, I was invited to be a involved in the closing stages of the Tournament at Twickenham. I was offered a volunteering role at the first quarter final, South Africa v Wales, and the Final!

 

Bill at Twickenham with other Pack volunteers

An amazing experience, much different in scale to the Brighton games with 80,000 fans at each match, but very much the same roles. 

Fans arriving at Twickenham

At Twickenham for the Quarter Final I was part of the team welcoming spectators to the stadium on the shuttle buses from the Richmond Fanzone and Waterloo with the reverse at the end of the match.

Bill at Twickenham

Yesterday at the Final was special. Apart from the occasion and atmosphere, I was located right outside the stadium, south stand, by the iconic ‘Line Out’ Statue where it seemed every spectator wanted photos taken for them in front of the statue, with their national flags, which we gave out to everyone. 

Handing out flags to spectators

Fans arriving at Twickenham

One personal story from the day was reuniting an All Black fan who had been separated from her husband and two friends, without her ticket or mobile phone.

The whole of my experience over the past 12 months as part of The Pack has been something I will always remember, from the initial application, the Brighton Launch at the Royal Pavilion, the training sessions at Twickenham, the Brighton & Hove weekend and finally, yesterday, the Red Arrows overhead just prior to kick off, the roar from the stadium at full time, and a spectacular firework display immediately after the presentation of the Trophy.

The Final!

Thank you for allowing me to be part of the experience. 

Inspiring young players

By Balfour Year 6 Tag Rugby Squad 2015 - 2016

As part of our Rugby World Cup 2015 Project we were lucky enough to be able to meet and interview Kieron Dawson, who played for Ireland in Rugby World Cup 1999.

Year 6 pupil Fin explained: “It was really interesting meeting Kieron. He told us all about his time playing Rugby. He also told us about how he prepares for a big Rugby match and what it felt like to play for your country.”

Balfour pupils with Kieron Dawson

What was it like representing your country at a Rugby World Cup?

I think it was extra special for us because my Rugby World Cup was 1999 and Ireland were based in Ireland and everywhere we went we played sports. We did a lot of school visits in preparation and the whole country was buzzing a little bit like this year, I suppose with the Tournament being based in England, so I’m sure they’ll experience the same thing. So yes, very proud, very excited, and a little bit surreal if I’m quite honest because in 1999 Rugby wasn’t long into becoming a professional sport so it felt a bit strange.

Who was your Rugby hero when you were young?

My Rugby hero was actually a guy called Ollie Campbell, who played No. 10 for Ireland, which was the position I probably wanted to play, but my age and shape didn’t really suit it. So when I was growing up Ollie Campbell because he kicked all the goals and made it all happen on the pitch, a bit like Jonny Wilkinson, and so he was my hero player.

What position did you play?

I played Open Side Flanker, which is the best position, so No. 7 in the scrum, who runs around making tackles all day, which is why I look like I do nowadays!

What advice would you give to us, as young rugby players before a big match?

I’d get lots of sleep, drink lots of water. Just prepare yourself well for the game. Enjoy it and try to learn from every game. Something will happen in every match that you can learn from. Most important thing is to enjoy it!

Big boots...and shirts...to fill

What was your biggest game?

My first game against the All Blacks. So I was 21 standing in the middle of Lansdowne Road, having dreamt about it all of my life, facing the Kaka for the first time on my first cap….That was pretty special!

Balfour Primary School has been following the preparations for the matches in Brighton & Hove. The pupils have been part of this blog's writing team. Last week Balfour Rugby coach Lee Stevenson represented the school at the Japan Welcome Ceremony. Mr Stevenson presented a card to the Japanese team from the young players at Balfour who are inspired by all those competing in the Tournament and who aim to follow in their footsteps in the years ahead. 

Tiggy from Balfour Year 6 said: "I'm really excited about the start of Rugby World Cup 2015. I can't believe that I am going to watch one of the matches at the Brighton Community Stadium - USA vs Samoa. It will amazing. We've also started training at school for the new Balfour Primary School 6 Tag Rugby squad - I hope we can be as good as the teams playing in the Tournament."

Mr Stevenson at the Japan Welcome Ceremony
with the card from his Tag Rugby team
which he presented to the Japan Team Manager

The 2015 - 2016 Balfour Year 6 Tag Rugby Squad

Rugby Activity Zone

By Mal Chumbley

Alongside the official Brighton & Hove Fanzone, the RFU and Sussex RFU will be hosting a Rugby Activity Zone. This is a chance to test skills, learn more about the game and get involved at your local club, as a player, coach, referee, volunteer or spectator.

The Fanzone operates from the evening of Friday 18 through to Sunday 20 September on the first weekend of the Tournament.

Bucking Rugby Ball - one of the activities to try in the Fanzone

The Rugby Community in Sussex are full of anticipation and excitement for this “Once in a Generation” event. Fans old and new are building up to “Get Behind England” and “Turn the Country White” campaigns “Wear The Rose”, “Every Voice Counts” and “Carry Them Home” are all about making everyone in the country a vital party of England’s success.

#weartherose

#Carrythemhome

#everyvoicecounts

For details or enquires about Rugby in Sussex contact Mal Chumbley at malchumbley@rfu.com or 07793 167 075

Rugby’s greatest prize to visit Brighton & Hove

The Webb Ellis Cup is recognised around the world as the greatest prize in the sport of Rugby. On June 10, with 100 days to go until the start of Rugby World Cup 2015, the Webb Ellis Cup set out on a tour of the UK and Ireland.

The Rugby World Cup Trophy Tour reaches Brighton & Hove on Bank Holiday Monday 31 August. By the time the Trophy reaches our city, with under three weeks to go before the two matches taking place in Brighton & Hove, this will be a chance to experience the build-up of excitement as the Tournament gets closer.

The Webb Ellis Cup - Photo credit: www.snapitnow.co.uk

There are two opportunities to see the Webb Ellis Cup in the city.

11am to 1pm, Monday 31 August, at Brighton Museum, Pavilion Gardens

Visitors will be able to view and handle artefacts from the countries represented in Brighton’s Rugby World Cup 2015 matches. The morning offers a fascinating insight into the customs and history of Japan, Samoa, the USA and South Africa, with the Webb Ellis Cup providing an iconic link to the sport of Rugby.

Brighton Museum - Photo credit: www.visitbrighton.com

2pm to 5pm, Monday 31 August, at Yellowave Beach Sports Venue, Madeira Drive

The Webb Ellis Cup will be on display at the seafront sporting venue where local Rugby players will take part in a friendly game of beach Rugby.

Yellowave - Photo credit: www.visitbrighton.com

Keep an eye out around the city on Bank Holiday Monday - the Trophy may well stop off at some of Brighton & Hove’s iconic locations for a photo opportunity or two during the day.

The Webb Ellis Cup will stay in the city and visit the Team Bases of Brighton College and the University of Brighton on Tuesday 1 September; access to these private events is by invitation only. Bank Holiday Monday is the best time to look out for the Trophy.

Did you see the Webb Ellis Cup when it visited Brighton & Hove last year? The iconic Trophy was out and about in the city to celebrate One Year To Go until the start of the Tournament. Have a look at our previous blog to see where it went in 2014.

The Trophy on the seafront in 2014
Photo credit: www.snapitnow.co.uk

Our trip to the Brighton Community Stadium

By  Freya C, Balfour Primary School

We were invited to visit the Brighton Community Stadium to have a good look around and to get an idea of what it will be like during Rugby World Cup 2015 in September.

We saw the changing rooms, also the press conference room as well as getting a look at the actual pitch.

Balfour pupils in the changing room

We asked lots of questions about the build up to Rugby World Cup 2015.

We learnt lots of interesting facts during our trip, including;-

·        The pitch at Falmer uses 3G artificial grass

·        All four of the Rugby teams, USA, Japan, Samoa and South Africa, who are playing in Brighton, have already been to have a look round the stadium where they will be playing

·        There will be only three  days between Brighton football matches and the first Rugby match on September 19 so the staff will have very little time to sort out the pitch

·        They need to use a tractor to help lift the Rugby posts into place

Under 20s in Brighton

Under 20s brought Rugby to the Brighton Community Stadium for the first time.

The Brighton Community Stadium transformed in style into a Rugby venue to be proud of for the England Under 20 v France Under 20 Six Nations finale last month on 20 March. 

Photo credit: ProSportsImages

England Under 20 produced a scintillating second half performance to beat the French team 24-11, winning the Six Nations title in the process. 

The evening also saw a very happy crowd of Rugby fans who witnessed the first Rugby match to take place on the Brighton Community Stadium’s pitch.

Photo credit: ProSportsImages

The U20s game was a success in terms of ticket sales too. A total of 12,615 people filled the seats to watch the match. This is the highest amount of tickets ever sold for an England U20s Six Nations match.

One of our bloggers and member of The Pack, Bill Hadgkiss was in the crowd. Bill said: “England Under 20 clinched the Six Nation's crown with a superb second half performance to beat France. This was my first visit to the Amex. The stadium is superb with excellent facilities for the spectators and proved to be a great venue for the match. The pitch was in perfect condition and the two large screens at both ends relayed the match live together with action replays." 

Photo credit: ProSportsImages

Bill added: "Full credit also to the marshalls managing spectators’ safe exit from the ground and access to Falmer station. All this together with a great atmosphere bodes well for Brighton to host the two Rugby World Cup 2015 matches in September.”

Photo credit: ProSportsImages

The England 2015 organisers were also able to use the match as part of their testing programme and were delighted with the delivery of the stadium’s first ever rugby match ahead of the Tournament coming to the city in September. Find out more at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-C4javbqh0  

Photo credit: ProSportsImages

Super Heroes

Spiderman, Princess Leia and Astro Boy join Brighton & Hove’s Rugby World Cup 2015 celebrations

By Paul Hudson

Blogger: Paul Hudson

Every Rugby World cup creates new Super Heroes for the sport and 2015 will be no different. Will it be Sam Burgess for England, Brian Habana for South Africa or Ma’a Nono for New Zealand? 

Whatever happens on the field, Brighton & Hove won’t be short of heroes next year as we are expecting hundreds of fantasy heroes to attend the celebrations on Madeira Drive

Cosplay – short for costumed play – has its roots in Japan but is now a huge international phenomenom.  Favorite sources include manga and anime, comic books, video games, and live-action films. 

Brighton Japan - Brighton’s annual festival of all things Japanese - will be returning in 2015 on the same weekend as Rugby World Cup 2015 begins and while Japan’s Rugby team is in the city for their match at the Brighton Community Stadium. With support from Brighton & Hove City Council, we will be linking with Brighton Japan to put on the first ever Cosplay Carnival.

Creative designs

Brighton Japan have pulled together a fantastic group of people and organisations to work on the project including Graham Churchyard, Costume Special Effects Supervisor on the Batman and Harry Potter movies and Paraiso School of Samba, winners of this year’s top award at the Notting Hill Carnival.

Imaginative displays

I’m delighted to be helping co-ordinate this amazing event and will be blogging about it over the next 10 months.

Why Cosplay I hear you say? Brighton & Hove is famous for trying out new ideas and for taking the quirky into the mainstream. The Body Shop and Virgin Records were founded here. The internationally acclaimed show Stomp started here. We are also a city that is known for tolerance and diversity and where you are free to be whoever you want to be. 

Where else but Brighton will you find celebrations for Rugby World Cup 2015 being led by Astro Boy, Princess Leia and Spider Man dancing to Samba beats from Rio?

Madeira Drive: Cosplay Carnival detination
Photo credit Adam Bronkhurst

Webb Ellis Cup in the city!

The Webb Ellis Cup visited Brighton & Hove today to mark one year to go until Rugby World Cup 2015 and the launch of this blog.  The coveted Trophy will be awarded to the winners of Rugby World Cup 2015.

The Trophy was started the day at the Community Stadium and then went to the Royal Pavilion and along the seafront, from the Pier to the Peace Statue. There was also a visit to a Hove beach hut. People stopped to see and crowds gathered wherever the Trophy appeared.

The Webb Ellis Cup started the day at the Community Stadium where two of the 48 Rugby World Cup matches will take place in September 2015.

Next stop was Brighton's Royal Pavilion. The Webb Ellis Cup was the guest of honour at a gathering of local Rugby enthusiasts who will be contributing to these pages (find out more http://ow.ly/BGVGd). 

Outside on the Royal Pavilion lawn

Inside the Royal Pavilion's beautiful Music Room

The Webb Ellis Cup then went for a trip along the seafront of Brighton & Hove. 

The sight of the trophy drew crowds stopping for photos, including the Warner family, near the pier. 

Mandy Warner has already applied for tickets for the Brighton and Milton Keynes matches, she said: "It's very exciting that the original cup is here in Brighton. It's not something I ever thought I'd see! We are looking forward to the Tournament next year". 

The Warner family

Brighton Bandstand

Hove beach huts, on the Prom

And inside one of the Hove beach huts

In the blazing sunshine, the final stop for the Webb Ellis Cup was at the border of Brighton & Hove at the Peace Statue. Players from teams at the Team Bases of Brighton College and the University of Brighton met for Rugby practice on Hove Lawns before the arrival of the famous Trophy.

(Photos copyright www.snapitnow.co.uk)

What is the Webb Ellis Cup? 

• The Webb Ellis Cup is the Trophy awarded to Rugby World Cup winners.  New Zealand's David Kirk was the first captain to lift the Webb Ellis Cup after his All Blacks defeated France 29-9 in the RWC 1987 Final.
• The Webb Ellis Cup is made from gilded silver and stands 472mm tall. It measures 319mm at its widest point handle to handle and weighs 4.5kgs.
• It was made by the Garrards silversmiths in 1906 and is based on the design of a cup believed to have been made around 1740 by English silversmith Paul de Lamerie.
• The Trophy was bought from an antique shop prior to the first Rugby World Cup and engraved with the words "The International Rugby Football Board" and "The Webb Ellis Cup".
• William Webb Ellis, after whom the Cup is named, was an Anglican clergyman born in Salford, Lancashire. Legend has it that in 1823, while he was a pupil at Rugby School, Webb Ellis picked up the ball during a game of football and ran with it, thus inventing the game of rugby.

For more information about Rugby’s greatest prize visit: http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/home/news/newsid=2061379.html

Countdown to Rugby World Cup 2015 in Brighton & Hove

Today marks one year to go until the first of two Rugby World Cup 2015 matches taking place in Brighton & Hove. The Brighton & Hove matches will be during the first weekend of the Tournament (19 and 20 September 2015).

Excitement is already building in the run-up to the Tournament. To celebrate Rugby World Cup 2015 in our city, local rugby enthusiasts will contribute to this blog chronicling their experiences of waiting for Rugby World Cup 2015’s arrival in the city.

Blog entries will be created by young pupils from Balfour School tag Rugby team, players from Brighton Rugby Club and Hove Rugby Club, ground staff preparing for the matches at Brighton Community Stadium and members of “The Pack”.

Sarah Razzell applied to be part of The Pack and has taken part in the Try Outs in Brighton to see if she will be chosen to be a RWC2015 volunteer. Sarah said: “As far back as I can remember my dad and me would watch the Rugby internationals together, shouting and cheering at the TV! I am so happy to share my excitement with other people. Rugby is a fantastic team sport that encourages individuals to work together to win the match.”

Marcelo Staricoff, Balfour Primary headteacher, said: “We are proud of our success at Tag Rugby, with our pupils winning the National Championships in 2013 and being runners up in this year's finals. We are so excited that Rugby World Cup 2015 is visiting Brighton as it will be so inspirational for the whole school and will enable us to promote our school values through a worldwide sporting event.”

The blog will be looked after by Brighton & Hove City Council communications team.

(Photos copyright www.snapitnow.co.uk)