The Sweet Chariot Tour travelled through Kent after receiving a whole-hearted vote of government support and the backing of one of London’s leading players.

Tessa Jowell MP joined the Webb Ellis Cup on its arrival in her Dulwich and West Norwood constituency

And the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport gave her backing to the tour on the Kent leg that saw the cup embraced by the public locations as diverse as Lambeth in south London to Deal on the Channel coast.

"This is a great chance for people throughout the county to see the Webb Ellis Cup as part of its triumphant tour - reminding everyone of that great day last November when the whole country cheered the England team to victory,” said Jowell.

“There will be no-one who did not walk a little bit taller in the days that followed. That is the power of sport."

The Kent organisers had put together a diverse programme that saw the tour visit inner city and rural areas, where it came into contact with children and students as well as the constituent body’s established clubs.

The showpiece event for the public saw the tour based at the Bluewater shopping centre in Greenhithe for most of Sunday, March 21, before Jowell attended a reception and youth rugby event at Dulwich College in her constituency.

The next morning saw England’s Alex King – whose appearance was sponsored by Royal &Sun Alliance - join the coaching team at Brockwell Park in Lambeth, where the RFU in partnership with Lambeth council want to establish the borough’s first rugby club.

More than 200 children from local schools – including Emanuel & St Andrew, the London Nautical College, Stockwell, Telferscot and Walnut Tree Walk.

The intention is to launch a community club there later this year, following the model set by the successful Southwark Tigers in the neighbouring borough.

“It’s fantastic that the RFU is bringing the game to parts of the country where football rules and that they have brought the World Cup here,” said King. “It’s a great time to be in the sport.”

Kent Rugby Development Officer Matt Mitchell said: “We had a fantastic day in Lambeth with Alex.

"We hope that this will inspire the local community to help us build and maintain a new rugby club within the area for future generations to use.”

From London the trophy travelled to Hayesbrook School in Tonbridge – a specialist sports college – and on to Maidstone, where shoppers braved the rain to get a glimpse of the Webb Ellis Cup outside County Hall.

The next morning started on the Kent coast at Deal in the Betteshanger club, where what was once a colliery social team has been transformed into a thriving community club with hundreds of junior players.

Then it was the turn of students at the University of Kent at Canterbury to join the celebration before a short hop up the A2 to Faversham.

A queue of Tesco customes wound their way through the shopping trolleys to have their picture taken before the roadshow finished the day at the nearby headquarters of county sponsors Shepherd Neame.