RUGBY-WORLD/100 DAYS PRINCE HARRY Prince Harry marks rugby World Cup 100 day countdown

Record ID: 150825

  • Title: RUGBY-WORLD/100 DAYS PRINCE HARRY Prince Harry marks rugby World Cup 100 day countdown
  • Date: 10th June 2015
  • Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JUNE 10, 2015) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS OF FORMER ENGLAND RUGBY UNION INTERNATIONAL, JONNY WILKINSON, HOLDING THE WEBB ELLIS TROPHY AS HE WALKS OUT OF TWICKENHAM STADIUM WITH PRINCE HARRY AND IS GREETED BY CHEERING CHILDREN WILKINSON AND PRINCE HARRY POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHS PRINCE HARRY POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPH
  • Embargoed: 25th June 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Australia
  • Country: Australia
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAKLS3AB8WQYRA4GE4T5K1T3E1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Rugby royalty met the real thing at Twickenham on Wednesday (June 10) 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 rugby World Cup.
    Wilkinson, the drop-goal hero of England's 2003-winning team and a veteran of four World Cups, and Prince Harry, Honorary President of organisers England 2015, took part in a ceremony flanked by delighted local school children, with massed ranks of employees of the Rugby Football Union looking down from the stadium's mighty West Stand.
    Another 2003 winner, Will Greenwood, drove away a Land Rover containing the golden trophy.
    Tournament director Stephen Brown, said: "The most important thing for us is probably testing and readiness which is kind of something we do in the background. It's making sure all of the venues are completely geared up and ready to go.
    "Obviously, a lot of them already very experienced in terms of international rugby stadia but we need to make sure we've got everything in place for the World Cup model which moves in and we make sure that all the teams are properly prepared, all the team bases are prepared but it's really testing and readiness is the main focus in this last phase as we go into the 18th September."
    Ian Ritchie, chief executive of the Rugby Football Union said: "The next 100 days will galvanise the country, get people involved behind it. I'm already nervous about the opening game but like you are with all sports so I think we're in really good shape to deliver a fantastic event."
    Wilkinson, whose last-gasp drop goal secured the England victory in 2003, is acting as an ambassador for the tournament since retiring from playing last season.
    He is impressed with England's progress under coach Stuart Lancaster, saying: "The key for these things is all about leaders and about solidarity and you've got that togetherness in this team, that spirit is there and the leaders are coming forward to the extent now that there's not many in there that you say aren't leaders.
    "Normally you have your leaders and your guys who like to get stuck in and follow but now you say 'actually he's a bit of a leader, he's a bit of a leader' and when you start getting to that point you know you're on the right path."
    Despite home advantage for England, Wilkinson says New Zealand, the defending champions, would still be the tournament favourites.
    "New Zealand are a team that are used to winning. They've beaten everyone else around the globe at the moment, they deserve to be in the favourites tag and they'll be the target for the other teams," he said.
    Organisers say ticket sales for the Sept. 18-Oct.31 tournament have now passed the two million mark and that with revenues already at 200 million pounds the RFU was already safely over the line in terms of the 80 million pounds guarantee they have to pay World Rugby, the sport's governing body.
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