University of Wales Trinity St David, Lampeter, is preparing to celebrate 150 years since it organised the first, recorded rugby match to be played in Wales, in 1866, and the Webb Ellis Cup made a special stop-off at the new-look Lampeter RFC on Monday. Ceredigion schools played in a schools tag competition and had the chance to be photographed with the silverware, while University fellows, former Wales and Llanelli greats Delme Thomas and Roy Bergiers were also present to mark the occasion.
University Council Chair, the Venerable Randolph Thomas said, “Rugby was founded in Wales 150 years ago in Lampeter University through the then vice principal the Reverend Professor Rowland Williams who had witnessed the first game of rugby at Cambridge University. He developed the game here with the students and Lampeter University had the first rugby team in Wales so to have the Rugby World Cup here was very special.”
Today (Tuesday), the Trophy Tour made an appearance at Pen-y-Bryn Special School in Morriston, Swansea.
Pupils at the school recently published a book about Welsh rugby, working with the Welsh Rugby Union along with other organisations and individuals to bring it to fruition. They conducted interviews with Wales squad members and visited the Millennium Stadium and regional rugby venues in the making of the book.
Broadcaster Roy Noble narrated an interactive version of the book and was present at the school today, along with former Wales captain and 2011 Rugby World Cup player Ryan Jones. Singer Paul Childs led the school assembly in a rendition of Hen Wlad fy Nhadau before the pupils had the chance to have their photo taken with the trophy.
Headteacher Gethin Sutton said, “Today has been another wonderful experience for our wonderful and very special pupils. Our school deals with pupils with severe and complex needs and as such we try to provide a really enhanced curriculum which gives them wonderful educational and life experiences and today is a particularly special moment for them. To see the World Cup and interact with people like Ryan Jones is fantastic for them.”
This afternoon, University of Swansea, a training base for Rugby World Cup, hosted a touch rugby festival for local comprehensive schools. The tour will stop at another Team base, the Vale Resort, tomorrow, before making its way east. On Thursday, Sport Wales will host a ‘Pride in our Game’ tag rugby tournament to celebrate equality within the game, while on Friday, Bassaleg Comprehensive, near Newport, one of the WRU’s School Club Hubs, will hold a rugby themed day throughout the school and in the afternoon, there will be a schools touch festival in Cardiff.
There are public opportunities to see the trophy throughout the weekend in Cardiff, as a Rugby World Cup host city, while Newport High School and the Celtic Manor will host the Cup on Monday before it makes its way over the Severn Bridge to continue its journey to Twickenham.
