THE Webb Ellis Cup, the Rugby World Cup trophy, will be on display around Cornwall from April 11 to April 13 as part of the nationwide Sweet Chariot Tour which includes hundreds of events across the county.

The Rugby Football Union hopes that the Sweet Chariot Tour will help raise the profile of the sport both in traditional rugby-playing areas and in regions currently under-represented in the sport.

The euphoria that followed events in Sydney has been underpinned at grassroots level by the RFU’s Rugby Making An Impact Strategy aimed at increasing participation and retention in playing, coaching, officiating and administration.

IMPACT, which stands for Inclusion, Modernisation, Partnership, Appropriate facilities, Club/school links and Training and coaching, is a three-stage blueprint for community rugby in England.

The Cornwall RFU, alongside the RFU, have identified three major events where the cup will be on display together with an exhibition unit – Penryn RFC, Truro Town Centre Piazza and Trago Stores.

The Sweet Chariot Tour exhibition unit will give the public the opportunity to kick for World Cup glory in an inflatable kicking cage, score a try and provide a commentary on Jonny Wilkinson’s winning drop goal.

There will also be several other rugby displays and competitions to participate in and opportunities for the public to have their photograph taken alongside the cup in front of a backdrop of the Telstra Stadium giving an impression that they were actually at the game.

The Sweet Chariot Tour kicks-off on Easter Sunday at Penryn RFC with the Sweet Chariot Tour unit on display from 9.30am-6.30pm. However, to give more people the chance to see one of the sporting world’s most prestigious trophies the Webb Ellis Cup will take to the road to tour Cornwall, making a whistle-stop visit to Penryn RFC in the afternoon.

Accompanied by a military escort throughout, courtesy of the RAF’s 2625 regiment, the world cup will first stop at the club where World Cup winner Phil Vickery started his rugby career – Bude RFC – and youngsters from the club will celebrate the arrival of The Webb Ellis Cup with a series of training sessions and demonstrations.

Next up the World Cup travels to Wadebridge Camels RFC, another club which helped an England international on his way, Olly Barkley, before travelling to Redruth RFC for the club’s traditional fixture against London’s Imperial Medics.

Penryn RFC will then host the cup during the St.Austell Tribute Penryn Sevens’ tournament where visiting South American side Los Troncos are also touring while National Division One side Penzance & Newlyn will host their annual awards ceremony in the company of the Webb Ellis Cup late in the afternoon.

On day two of Cornwall’s Sweet Chariot Tour, the exhibition unit will be situated at Truro’s town centre Piazza and when the Webb Ellis Cup arrives at the Piazza at 2pm it will be welcomed by the Cornish Choir and St. Keverne Champions’ Band.

The Webb Ellis Cup will, meanwhile, make flying visits to Newquay Centre, Killacourt, Treliske Hospital and St. Ives RFC.

On its final day, Trago Stores will host the Sweet Chariot Tour exhibition unit, while the cup visits an under 14s festival of rugby at St. Austell RFC before travelling to Liskeard Looe School and then Launceston RFC where the tour will come to an end.

The Sweet Chariot Tour is entirely free to the public. However, there will be collection buckets for voluntary donations for the tour’s charity, the 'Wooden Spoon’.

The tour takes place in association with sponsors EA SPORTS, Ford, Holiday Inn, Land Rover and Lucozade Sport.

Cornwall Sweet Chariot Tour Itinerary

Sunday April 11

9.30am - 6.30pm Penryn RFC (Sweet Chariot Tour exhibition unit. The cup will be on display from 330pm-445pm)

9am - 10am Bude RFC

11.15am - 12.30pm Wadebridge RFC

1.40pm - 2.45pm Redruth RFC

3.30pm - 4.45pm Penryn RFC

5.45pm - 6.45pm Penzance RFC

Monday 12 April

8am - 6pm Truro Town Centre Piazza (Sweet Chariot Tour exhibition unit. The cup will be on display from 2-6pm)

9.30am - 12noon Newquay Centre, Killacourt,

12.35pm - 1.30pm Tresliske Hospital, Truro,

2pm - 6pm Truro Town Centre Piazza,

6.45pm - 7.45pm St.Ives RFC,

Tuesday 13 April

9am - 5.30pm Trago Stores (Sweet Chariot Tour exhibition unit. The cup will be on display from 11am-5.30pm),

9am - 10am St Austell RFC

11am - 5.30pm Trago Stores

6.15pm - 7.15pm Liskeard Looe School

7.45pm - 9pm Launceston RFC