Rugby students were very excited to have an opportunity to have their photo taken with the Rugby World Cup (officially the Webb Ellis Cup) last week! This is the very same Cup that Richie McCaw held up after the All Blacks overcame Australia in the Rugby World Cup final on 31 October 2015. Officials from the NZRU brought the cup along for our rugby players’ registration day and told students about its history. One lucky student from Year 10 was chosen to actually hold the cup – a special tradition mostly reserved for the Rugby World Cup winning team.
Facts about the Webb Ellis Cup:
- the Cup is named after William Webb Ellis, who is often
credited as the inventor of rugby;
- the trophy is silver gilt and has been presented to the
winner of the Rugby World Cup since the first competition in 1987;
- it has been held by New Zealand (three times, in 1987, 2011
and 2015), Australia (twice, in 1991 and 1999), South Africa (twice, in 1995
and 2007), and England (2003);
- the 38 centimetre trophy weighs 4.5kgs, is gilded silver and
is supported by two cast scroll handles;
- on one handle there is a head of a satyr, on the other there
is head of a nymph.
