Rugby's Hall of Fame kicks off World Cup tour

Maggie Alphonsi visited the Rugby Hall of Fame, Rugby Library & Museum recently, to launch the forhcoming Womens Rugby World Cup. NNL-170313-185626009

On Monday Maggie, who is also an inductee in the Hall of Fame, joined tournament partners Land Rover for the departure of the trophy ahead of the 12-team tournament in Dublin and Belfast in August.

The trophy tour, which includes more than 100 events across 140 days before the tournament begins at UCD Bowl in Dublin, will be the largest ever undertaken for a Women’s Rugby World Cup.

The Rugby World Cup 2015 Trophy tour also visited Rugby and World Rugby has announced its intention for all future Rugby World Cup, Women’s Rugby World Cup and Rugby World Cup Sevens trophy tours to depart from the sport’s birthplace.

Maggie Alphonsi visited the Rugby Hall of Fame, Rugby Library & Museum recently, to launch the forhcoming Womens Rugby World Cup. NNL-170313-185203009

Maggie was joined by pupils from Rugby High School, who play rugby, for the event.

She said: “I am looking forward to what promises to be a very special event at the Women’s Rugby World Cup in Ireland later this year. It is fitting and exciting that the trophy tour will depart from the birthplace of the game here in Rugby and, as a Hall of Fame inductee and a Women’s Rugby World Cup winner, it is something that I am particularly honoured to be a part of.”

World Rugby Chairman and Hall of Fame inductee Bill Beaumont said: “We are excited to see the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017 Trophy Tour departing from Rugby on its way to Ireland for the tournament in August.

“Rugby has its origins in Rugby town and we are excited that it will provide the destination for the ceremonial departure of all future tours.

“It links recognition of our past to our future and what a future we have in front of us as the world’s best women’s teams compete in the biggest global rugby event of 2017.”