GAME ON!!!
Prince Harry, Honorary President of England Rugby 2015, Vice Patron of the Rugby Football Union, and World Rugby Chairman, Bernard Lapasset, formally opened Rugby World Cup 2015 this evening, September 18, at Twickenham Stadium ahead of the opening match between England and Fiji (KO 2000).
A capacity crowd in the famous Twickenham Stadium stands, and millions more on TV across the world saw the Opening Ceremony which celebrated the story of Rugby, from its inception in 1823 when William Webb Ellis picked up a ball at Rugby School and ran with it, through to Rugby World Cup 2015.
See also: Exeter going World Cup crazy here http://www.theexeterdaily.co.uk/news/local-news-sport/exeter-going-world-cup-crazy
The 20 minute ceremony, themed as 'Breaking New Ground', featured Rugby legends from every competing nation including Martin Johnson, Sean Fitzpatrick, Michael Lynagh and Chester Williams. The ceremony celebrated the history and values of the Game and reflected the unprecedented global profile Rugby World Cup 2015 will receive over the coming weeks. Rugby World Cup 2015 is set to be the biggest Rugby World Cup of all time based on match attendance, crossing France 2007's 2.25million tickets sold, global TV audience and digital exposure.
Prince Harry and Bernard Lapasset, Chairman of World Rugby and Rugby World Cup Limited delivered speeches which formally opened the Tournament. During his speech Prince Harry said: "This evening marks the beginning of a celebration of rugby which I hope will inspire current players, those new to the game and future generations. There will be moments in this World Cup which will live with us for the rest of our lives. Who could forget 1995 and President Mandela handing The Webb Ellis Cup to Francois Pienaar, or that Drop kick in 2003. To all the players, we congratulate you and wish you well for the Tournament. Your individual skill is to be celebrated, but I can think of no other sport where the success of the team is shouldered so equally by everyone. Rugby has changed dramatically in my lifetime. But it remains a game founded on a code of values. Values which are as important today, both on and off the field of play, as they have ever been.”
World Rugby Chairman, Bernard Lapasset, said: "Rugby World Cup is all about bringing people together, creating unforgettable moments and celebrating Rugby, sport and friendship. The spectacular Opening Ceremony certainly kicked off the Tournament in style and the wonderful excitement and atmosphere bodes well for a Rugby World Cup that will excite and inspire new audiences around the world.”
England Rugby 2015 Managing Director, Stephen Brown, added: "We are delighted that Rugby World Cup 2015 got off to such a fantastic start, celebrating Rugby and launching this fantastic tournament to the global audience.”
The pre-show for the Opening Ceremony was introduced by England 2015 Ambassador Will Greenwood and TV presenter Andy Collins, and included performances from the Band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines and Laura Wright, England Rugby's official anthem singer, who led a singalong performance of Jerusalem. The Choir of Rugby School – where William Webb Ellis is said to have invented the game of Rugby football – performed Swing Low Sweet Chariot featuring a solo from the school's Natalie Houlston.
The ceremony opened with a film showing the history of the sport and its English roots from the playing fields of Rugby School in 1823 and the moment the young William Webb Ellis caught the ball and decided to run with it. This is the moment William Webb Ellis changed sporting history and invented the game of Rugby that evolved into the sport we know today. The role of William Webb Ellis was played by Edward Anthony, 14, from Rugby School who has just started his GCSE exams. This role is Edward's first acting role.
Actor Edward Anthony, 14, said: "Performing as William Webb Ellis at the Rugby World Cup 2015 Opening Ceremony has been the greatest experience of my life. I'm not an actor, I was chosen because I go to Rugby School and I wouldn't have had the chance anywhere else. The support from my boarding house has been phenomenal. The experience has been something I will never forget. It felt amazing to represent Rugby School with the support of all my friends and family.”
The film then shows Webb Ellis take a tour of the eleven England 2015 host cities as he witnesses great moments through the sport's history with cameos from English actor Asa Butterfield, Chairman of the Rugby Football Union Bill Beaumont, President of the RFU Jason Leonard, Women's Rugby World Cup 2014 winner Maggie Alphonsi, former French international Serge Betsen, former Scottish international and coach Sir Ian McGeechan, England's Rugby World Cup 2003 winners Will Greenwood, Jonny Wilkinson and coach Sir Clive Woodward, Argentina's Gonzalo Camacho and Prince Harry of Wales.
The film culminated with Webb Ellis kicking the ball into outer space, before a giant leather rugby ball appeared to descend from space and "land” in the middle of the pitch at Twickenham Stadium to accompaniment of fireworks and pyrotechnics. The ball then underwent a transformation and emerged as giant replica of the Rugby World Cup 2015 official Tournament ball.
After poetry from British spoken-word artist George the Poet, who praised the values of Rugby, the passion of the players and the love of the Game; the audience was treated to a special performance of Rugby World Cup's official anthem World in Union, performed by chorister Raphael Jansenns from King's Rochester School, home to the oldest choir school in the world founded in 604 AD. Raphael was joined by Laura Wright, 80 singers from Rugby School Choir and the Band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines.
The performance also featured members of the RFU's All Schools Programme, which aims to increase the number of secondary state schools in England playing Rugby Union, and members of The Pack, the 6,000 strong volunteer workforce helping deliver Rugby World Cup 2015.
Also making surprise appearances from within the ranks of The Pack were 20 'Giants of the Game' hailing from each of the twenty participating nations. The legends in attendance were:
Agustín Pichot – Argentina
Michael Lynagh – Australia
Al Charron – Canada
Simon Raiwalui – Fiji
Raphaël Ibanez – France
Ilia Zedginidze – Georgia
John Hayes – Ireland
Paolo Vaccari – Italy
Daisuke Ohata – Japan
Jacques Burger – Namibia
Sean Fitzpatrick – New Zealand
Romeo Gontineac – Romania
Pat Lam – Samoa
Chris Paterson – Scotland
Chester Williams – South Africa
Sililo Martens – Tonga
Diego Ormaechea – Uruguay
Dan Lyle – USA
Shane Williams – Wales
Martin Johnson – England
With all the performers in place, the cast removed the sides of the ball to reveal the Webb Ellis Cup, the prize for which the 20 competing teams will compete during Rugby World Cup 2015.
Executive Producer Sara Donaldson, from Donaldson Creative, said: "After 18 months of planning, love and sheer hard graft, everyone's efforts came to fruition as our show set the tone for what is sure to be an incredible tournament. It has been an honour to be involved with this event and to be part of such a great team, where professionals and volunteers have united together to work as one team striving towards one goal - to deliver a dramatic and entirely unexpected show...that goal was achieved.”
Tickets for a number of great matches are still available at tickets.rugbyworldcup.com. The official ticket resale service is still live via tickets.rugbyworldcup.com and provides support to fans who wish to sell tickets for matches they can no longer attend. Fans should only buy tickets from official sources to ensure their ticket is valid for entry at Rugby World Cup 2015 matches. Tickets are also available via the official travel (domestic and international) and hospitality programmes. More details on these programmes can be found at www.rugbyworldcup.com/ticketing.
In order to enjoy the best possible spectator experience and not be let down or misled, Rugby World Cup 2015 are urging fans to only buy tickets from official sources. For more information and to check whether a company or certain website is an official RWC 2015 channel, fans can use an 'Official Checker' tool located at www.rugbyworldcup.com/buyofficial.
