Welcome Samoa!

The Samoan team were welcomed to Brighton & Hove on Friday. 

The Welcome Ceremony which took place the Brighton Dome Theatre one week before the start of the Tournament. The 31 players and 15 management staff were presented with the official caps and participation medals. 

The Samoan manager took to the podium to say: “Brighton reminds us so much of Samoa! You have the sun, you have the sea and you have beautiful smiling people.” The team then took to the stage to give a rousing demonstration of Samoan dance and song.  

Samaon team on stage
Photo credit: Getty Images for ER2015

Afterwards the team stopped for photos in front of the Royal Pavilion and met fans waiting to wish them well. The Samoan team play USA at 12 noon on Sunday September 20 at the Brighton Community Stadium.  

Samoan team at the Royal Pavilion
Photo credit: Getty Images for ER2015

Watch highlights from the Samoan Welcome Ceremony at the Dome.

See the Samoan team on stage as captured on a phone by one of the audience.

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

Fanzone on the beach

The official Rugby World Cup 2015 Fanzone will be on Brighton beach, Madeira Drive, east of the Brighton Pier. 

With a capacity of 10,000 the Fanzone offers the chance to enjoy refreshments and soak up the Tournament atmosphere. The Fanzone is free to enter. 

Brighton beach
Photo credit: Adam Bronkhorst

The Fanzone features activities from Rugby World Cup 2015 sponsors and a big screen showing all the matches played during the first weekend of the Tournament. 

The Fanzone is free to enter and the opening times are: 
• Friday September 18, 4pm to 11pm 
• Saturday September 19, 11am to 11pm 
• Sunday September 20, 11am to 8pm

Come along to the only RWC 2015 Fanzone on a beach! Relax on the pebbles and have fun on the activities on Madeira Drive. 

Rugby players on the beach

The Rugby World Cup Trophy Tour reached Brighton & Hove on Bank Holiday Monday  August 31. After a morning trip to Brighton Museum & Art Gallery, the famous Trophy was taken along to the seafront for a gathering with local Rugby players.

The Webb Ellis Cup on display

Players of all ages from Brighton Rugby Club and Hove Rugby Club came along to Yellowave Beach Sports Venue on Madiera Drive. The players had a friendly throw about on the sandy courts and took a close look at the Webb Ellis Cup.

Young players from the Brighton and Hove clubs

Brighton Blues boys with the Trophy

The next opportunity to see the Trophy will be from 10am to 12.30pm on Saturday September 19 at the official Fanzone on the beach near the Brighton Pier. The Trophy will be on display inside a viewing box on a RWC 2015 Land Rover.

More more information about the Fanzone and many other activities happening in Brighton & Hove during the first weekend of the Tournament have a look at the Fan Guide. 

Spanning the nations, rare artefacts at the museum

The Rugby World Cup Trophy Tour reached Brighton & Hove on Bank Holiday Monday August 31. Crowds gathered to see the prestigious Trophy on display at Brighton Museum & Art Gallery. 

Jacob Thomas-Brooks, aged 10, came along with his family. Jacob said: “I can’t wait until the Rugby starts, it’s going to brilliant. The Trophy was very impressive, very gold.”

Jacob, far right, with his family
and the Webb Ellis Cup

To celebrate the Trophy Tour, activities and displays were set up around the museum building. Staff looked after a range of rare objects taken out of museum storage for only one day to mark the occasion. The items were from the nations of Japan, Samoa, South Africa and USA, representing the four teams competing in Brighton & Hove during the Tournament.

Bark cloth as made in Samoa

South African beading

Visitors could see intricate South African beading, Native American Indian quills dating from the 1800s, decorative wrapping clothes called Furoshiki which are used instead of carrier bags in Japan and Tapa cloth made from the bark of the mulberry tree as found across Polynesia including Samoa.

Downstairs in the art room, children were encouraged to have a go at designing a Rugby shirt or flag for the team or teams of their choice taking part in the Tournament.

Alex Gilbert enjoyed making a Japanese inspired Rugby shirt design before going to see the Webb Ellis Cup with his mum, dad and older brother.

Alex with his Mum Gail

The Webb Ellis Cup was on display all morning before heading off to be the centre piece of a beach rugby session taking place later in the day.

The Webb Ellis Cup at Brighton Museum & Art Gallery

Find out more about the amazing artefacts at the museum and exhibitions on display

Celebrating Rugby in the city

Our Festival of Rugby fan guide is out today. Have a look at what is happening around the city during the Tournament weekend - festivals and fun for all. 

www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/FanGuide

Clock the Tower

Local community arts charity Same Sky has been busy preparing to 'dress the city' to celebrate Rugby in Brighton & Hove in September 2015. This week the Clock Tower in central Brighton was adorned with flags as the artistic creations start to make an appearance on the city’s streets. 

Same Sky artist Bec Britain explained: “Continuing our continents’ flag theme which can be seen dressing the city in a variety of forms, I chose the four most commonly used flag colours and produced them en masse for a bright swirling effect around the Clock Tower. In total there was 710 metres of webbing with over 2000 flags.”

The flags went up during days of heavy summer rain. Bec added: “Despite the deluge, we were incredibly lucky to escape with two dry nights to put it all up, much to the delight of clubbers on West Street. When the wind gets going the flags start to whistle, and when they are really flapping it sounds like a huge crowd bursting into applause. How very appropriate!”

Check out some of Bec’s other decorations in our previous blog entry:

http://brightonandhoverugby2015.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/dressing-city.html