Sweet Chariot Tour schedule for Surrey

The World Cup is winging its way to the club that launched Jonny Wilkinson on the road to stardom and the most famous drop-goal in rugby history.

The RFU’s Sweet Chariot Tour arrives at Farnham in Surrey on the evening of Saturday, March 27 - a few hours before the kick-off of the RBS Six Nations Championship decider in Paris.

The tour stops off at more than 250 clubs, schools and shopping centres throughout the country to give people the chance to celebrate England’s success and to encourage them to take up the game.

On the Surrey leg of the tour, the Webb Ellis Cup moves on from Farnham to visit Richmond and Esher, then spends a day at Dorking before travelling to two Croydon schools before ending its stay in the county at Warlingham.

It all starts when an Army helicopter flies the trophy into Farnham, where Wilkinson played until the age of 16.

The celebrations have hardly ceased at his club, who have commissioned a limited edition shirt to mark the events of November 22 last year.

The shirt is only available to the 713 fans who were watching England’s victory against Australia in the club at the time.

With one exception.

“We threw the doors open and made a big day of the final and we’re doing the same when the World Cup comes to the club,” said John Fairley, one of the coaches who introduced Wilkinson to the game.

“We want to make this event one for the whole community to come and visit us and join the celebrations.

“Last year we had a fantastic day when we counted 713 people here, so we’ve commissioned a special shirt with that number embroidered on it. Now we’ll have to arrange to get an extra one for Jonny.

“We had hoped to get him here for the weekend but he’s injured at the moment and recuperating, so we wish him all the best.”

So far more than 350,000 people have seen the trophy in its six weeks on the road as part of the Sweet Chariot Tour.

And everyone in Surrey is welcome to visit the exhibition, have their photograph taken with the cup and to find out more about taking up the game.

On Sunday the whole spectrum of the sport will be on view when the tour moves to Richmond for the morning - where 900 young players will be taking part in a mini rugby tournament – before being flown to nearby Esher RFC for the Surrey Cup final between Richmond and Esher.

At Esher, the public will also be able to visit the RFU's new 40-ton open-out interactive Travelling Exhibition Unit .

Visitors to the exhibition can practise their rugby skills with kicking, scrummaging and passing games as well as learning more about the clubs in their area and how to take up the sport.

The trophy trailer and roadshow moves on to Dorking RFC for all of Monday, March 29, where school and youth sides are taking part in a day of competitions and coaching masterclasses for all ages, which the public are welcome to attend.

Tuesday, March 30, sees the roadshow visit John Fisher School and Haling Manor School in Croydon before finishing its tour at Warlingham RFC, where people can be photographed with the trophy and watch playing and coaching demonstrations before the tour starts its journey to Sussex.

More information about the Sweet Chariot Tour is also available on the RFU Community Rugby hotline 0906 6800805 and www.rfu.com

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

Media are welcome to attend any of the Sweet Chariot Tour events, but must register their interest with Surrey RFU media liaison Paul Agate on 07803 966599 or by email to roger@prismm.co.uk

SURREY SWEET CHARIOT TOUR ITINERARY

Saturday, March 27

Farnham RFC (7pm to 10pm)

Sunday, March 28

Richmond FC (8am to 1pm)

Esher RFC (1pm to 7pm)

Monday, March 29

Dorking RFC (9am to 7pm)

Tuesday, March 30

John Fisher School, Croydon (10am to 1pm)

Haling Manor School, Croydon (1.30pm to 7pm)

Warlingham RFC (7.30pm to 10.30pm)