The William Web Ellis Trophy will be presented to the 2019 rugby World Cup champion on Nov. 2 at International Stadium in Yokohama, Japan.
But it has a few stops to make before then.
If this is Tuesday, it must be Victoria.
Rugby鈥檚 holy grail made an appearance on the lawn of the legislature as part of its international tour ahead of the 2019 World Cup, in which the Langford-based Canadian national team will open Sept. 26 at Fukuoka against Italy.
sa国际传媒 has qualified for all eight World Cup tournaments 鈥� this time by the seat-of-its-shorts after securing the 20th and final berth in November by winning the last-chance qualifying tournament in Marseille, France.
Premier John Horgan, an avid sports fan, was among those looking over the Web Ellis Trophy along with several cabinet ministers in his government.
鈥淚 was a basketball player who played rugby, and I don鈥檛 think that was lost on any of the teams that used to crush Reynolds [Secondary] back in the day,鈥� Horgan quipped.
鈥淚 became hooked on the game when I lived south of the equator [in Australia]. Rugby is an international game that brings people together. I am proud to live in Langford, the home of Rugby sa国际传媒. We鈥檝e got outstanding athletes living in Victoria and working in Victoria because of the facilities we can provide. And the weather is not too bad, as well.鈥�
Given that he鈥檚 the premier, few would deny Horgan his optimism about sa国际传媒鈥檚 chances in a World Cup pool that includes New Zealand and South Africa. However, few rugby pundits around the world would agree with him about sa国际传媒鈥檚 prospects: 鈥淚f we get by the All Blacks and the Springboks, I think it鈥檚 smooth sailing to the finals. And I鈥檓 genuine when I say that.鈥�
Horgan also gave shoutouts to the wildly successful sa国际传媒 Sevens men鈥檚 rugby tournament, which this month attracted 73,819 fans over two days to sa国际传媒 Place, and the May sa国际传媒 Sevens women鈥檚 tournament to be hosted by the 2016 Rio Olympic bronze-medallist Canadian team at Westhills Stadium in Langford.
Gareth Rees of Victoria, a member of the International Rugby Hall of Fame and sa国际传媒鈥檚 Sports Hall of Fame, was among those who gathered on the legislature lawn to welcome the trophy. It is named after the schoolboy who picked up the ball and ran with it during a soccer game at Rugby School in England in 1823 to invent a new sport.
鈥淚 played in four World Cups and this represents a large part of my life,鈥� Rees said.
A playing field was created on the legislature lawn, with inflatable goal posts, as politicians and local youth players engaged in informal scrimmaging.
鈥淚 look at the World Cup being here, and the youth players playing on the lawn, and I ask myself is this really happening,鈥� said Rees, now director of community and program relations for Rugby sa国际传媒.
Five of the seven players who have captained sa国际传媒 in the World Cup 鈥� Rees twice and Hans De Goede, Mark Wyatt, Morgan Williams and Pat Riordan 鈥� live in Greater Victoria.
The former captains took the Web Ellis Trophy to Bear Mountain later Tuesday for a reunion and evening of reflection. But they could only look at it. By tradition, only players who have won the World Cup are allowed to touch the trophy.
This was the first Canadian stop after the Web Ellis Trophy was flown up from Los Angeles. As part of its tour there, it was placed on show at centre court of the Staples Center before a Lakers basketball game.
Other Canadian stops this week include Vancouver and Ottawa before the trophy tour continues around the world ahead of heading to Japan for the World Cup.
