ENGLAND rugby hero Jason Leonard brought smiles to the faces of sick children when he took the World Cup into Great Ormond Street Hospital this afternoon.

The NEC Harlequins prop – the world’s most capped player – spent an hour on two wards as well as the Dialysis Unit, as part of the Rugby Football Union’s Sweet Chariot Tour.

Leonard said: “It was a real privilege for me to be able to take the Webb Ellis Cup into Great Ormond Street and to meet these brave children, their parents and nurses. Hopefully it will have brightened up their day.”

Five-year-old Jimmy was given a Polaroid photograph of himself with Jason and the Cup. His mum Janette said: “He watched the final with his day and jumped up and down when England won.

“It’s great for him to meet Jason and have his picture taken – I’m sure he’ll be showing it off to his friends at school when he goes home.”

One ward sister, Jo Moses, said: “The children and the parents were very excited. Most of the children are in for quite a while and to have something like this gives everyone a lift.”

Patrick Olszowski, Hospital Liaison Officer, added: “This was a real treat for many of the children. Having both Jason and the Cup go round the wards caused great excitement among our patients and staff.”

The Sweet Chariot Tour of England has been managed by the RFU’s Community Rugby Department and implemented by Activate UK. More than 900,000 people have come into contact with the Cup since the start of February.

The tour is in now in its fourth and final month. It has taken in shopping centres, schools and rugby clubs to maintain the high profile that rugby has enjoyed since Leonard and his team-mates lifted the trophy.