World Cup winner Mike Catt has pledged his support to the Sweet Chariot Tour which comes to Somerset on April 18 and April 19.

Catt, who played an instrumental role in ensuring England were crowned Rugby World Cup champions in November 2003, is delighted that over 450,000 people from across the country have so far come to support the world cup celebrations on the Sweet Chariot Tour.

The Bath and England player said: "We have been overwhelmed by the support we have received from rugby fans and people new to the sport since winning the world cup.

“Taking the Webb Ellis Cup around Somerset and the accompanying events will be a great chance to get more people playing and involved in rugby."

The Somerset RFU, alongside the RFU, have identified four major events where the cup will be on display together with the Sweet Chariot Tour exhibition unit – Weston-super-Mare (Beach Lawns), Glastonbury (Tor RFC), Yeovil (Ivel Barbarians RFC) and Taunton (Taunton RFC).

The Sweet Chariot Tour exhibition unit will give the public the opportunity to have their photograph taken alongside the Webb Ellis Cup while there will also be several rugby displays and competitions to participate in.

The Sweet Chariot Tour kicks-off on Sunday at Weston-super-Mare with the Sweet Chariot Tour exhibition unit at Beach Lawns from 9.30-12pm. However, to give more people the chance to see one of the sporting world’s most prestigious trophy’s the Webb Ellis Cup will be whisked away by a helicopter courtesy of Westlands Helicopters to St. Bernadettes RFC in Bristol where world cup winner Martin Corry will assist lead a SEE U @ RUG B development day session held in association with Royal & SunAlliance.

Hosts St. Bernadettes RFC, Old Redcliffians RFC, Chew Valley RFC, Gordano, Bristol Harlequins RFC and schools Luckwell and Hareclive as well as two teams from the Home Office Future Programme will participate in various rugby activities throughout the afternoon.

From there the helicopter will fly the Webb Ellis Cup to Keynsham RFC where the Bristol club will host a ‘Sweet Chariot’ Community seven-aside tournament refereed by international referee Tony Spreadbury and a ‘Jonny Wilkinson’ junior kicking competition.

Next-up on the Webb Ellis whistle-stop tour of Somerset is Norton Hills School in Midsomer Norton where Oakfield Middle School, Corsham RFC, Frome RFC, Midsomer Norton RFC and Norton Hill school will compete in junior rugby tournaments before the world cup will be reunited with the Sweet Chariot Tour exhibition unit in Glastonbury at Tor RFC for the finale of the successful inaugural Super Six tournament.

The Centurions from Bath & North East Somerset cannot be overtaken at the top of the Super Six league, but the spot for second place is still being hotly contested with three teams -- the Mendip Lions, West Somerset Warriors and North Somerset Vikings – all in contention.

On day two of Somerset’s Sweet Chariot Tour Yeovil’s Ivel Barbarians RFC will kick-off proceedings by hosting the Sweet Chariot Tour exhibition unit and the Webb Ellis Cup as well as a under 10s tag rugby tournament with children from local schools participating.

Belinda Evans, who sung England’s national anthem during the Rugby World Cup and is from the local town of Ash, will also be in attendance and will help welcome the Webb Ellis Cup to Yeovil by singing numbers such as ‘Swing Low, Sweet Chariot’.

A Lynx Mark 3 helicopter from the Royal Navy will then fly the world cup to RNAS Yeovilton for a short stop before arriving at Wellington School – the former school of the late John Kendall who was chairman of the International Rugby Board’s steering committee. The Webb Ellis Cup will receive a warm welcome with Somerset rugby referee Tony Pomperoy leading a choir singing ‘Swing Low, Sweet Chariot’.

The tour comes to an end at Taunton RFC where again it will rejoin the Sweet Chariot Tour exhibition unit for the final of the Somerset Blackthorn Cup which will be contested by Bridgwater & Albion RFC and Weston-super-Mare. England assistant coach Andy Robinson will present the prize ceremony.

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.

Somerset Sweet Chariot Tour Itinerary

Sunday April 18

9.30am – 12pm Weston-Super-Mare Beach Lawns (Sweet Chariot Tour exhibition unit. The cup will be on display from 9.30am-11am)

11.45-1.15pm – St. Bernadettes RFC. (Martin Corry will be present from 11.45-1.45pm)

2pm – 3.15pm – Keynsham RFC

4pm - 5pm – Norton Hills School

5.30pm – 8pm Glastonbury, Tor RFC (Sweet Chariot Tour exhibition unit. The cup will be on display from 5.45pm – 8pm

Monday 19 April

8.45am – 11am Yeovil, Ivel Barbarians (Sweet Chariot Tour exhibition unit. The cup will be on display from 8.45-11am)

11.30am – 12.30pm RNAS Yeovilton (closed event)

1pm – 3pm Wellington School

3.45 – 8pm Taunton RFC (Sweet Chariot Tour exhibition unit and Webb Ellis Cup)