The Webb Ellis Cup, the Rugby World Cup, will be winging its way to Swindon on Easter Saturday as part of the nationwide Sweet Chariot Tour and will be on display at Swindon’s Brunel Centre on Canal Walk (underneath the Link Bridge) between 9am and 11.30am with the Sweet Chariot exhibition unit situated at the far end of Canal Walk (near House of Fraser) until 12pm.

Members of the general public are invited to have their photograph taken alongside the Webb Ellis Cup with a backdrop of the Telstra Stadium, giving the impression they were actually at the World Cup final. They can also take part in various activities including Elasta Rugby, play sports consols, talk to an on-site personal trainer as well as physios.

The day’s activities start with a parade from nine local rugby clubs in an array of team colours, banners and flags from Swindon College to Canal Walk. Clubs members will then be on hand to talk about how to take up the game and which clubs they can join.

Pip Laycock, marketing manager for the Brunel centre, said: “We can’t wait for the cup to arrive. I think it is one of the most exciting events to occur in Swindon. It is a great honour to be chosen as a venue for such a fabulous occasion.”

The Webb Ellis Cup will then continue its whistle-stop tour of the county, travelling to Chippenham Town Hall for a public viewing session, before the Sweet Chariot Tour comes to an end in Dorset & Wiltshire at Chippenham RFC where several clubs from the county are competing against each other.

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.

Dorset & Wilts tour itinerary

Thursday April 8

9–10.30 – Christchurch Regent Centre. The Webb Ellis Cup.

10am – 4pm – Salisbury Market Place. Sweet Chariot Tour exhibition unit. Webb Ellis Cup will be present from 11.45-2pm. Richard Hill will be at Salisbury Market Place from 11.45-1pm.

1-2pm – Salisbury Guildhall. A Mayoral Reception for Richard Hill. Private event.

3pm- 530pm – Blandford Town Centre at the Crown Plaza Hotel’s Sealy Suite. The Webb Ellis Cup.

1-9pm - Shaftesbury Sports College. The Webb Ellis Cup arrives at 5.45pm.

Friday April 9

9–12pm - Bournemouth Pier. Sweet Chariot exhibition unit and the Webb Ellis Cup until 11.30am.

12.45pm-2pm – Poole Quay. The Dolphin Centre. The Webb Ellis Cup will be transported by a luxury Manhattan 74 motor yacht courtesy of Sunseeker International to Poole Quay

3.30pm-5pm – Weymouth Pavilion Theatre. The Webb Ellis Cup. The cup will be transported to Weymouth via a RNLI Weymouth Lifeboat.

7pm-9pm – Trowbridge Civic Hall. The Webb Ellis Cup

Saturday April 10

9am-2pm – Swindon Brunel Centre. Sweet Chariot Tour exhibition unit and the Webb Ellis Cup (the cup will be on display from 9am-12pm)

3.30pm–7pm – Chippenham RFC. The Webb Ellis Cup.