RugbyRebels

Since the first World Cup a number of replica trophies have been handed out to tournament winners but who has the "real" one and where the feck is it kept? I'm presuming the winners receive the original plus a replica.

As rumour has it, the day after New Zealand beat France in the 2011 final, organisers had to send out a last-minute search party to recover the trophy for the end-of-tournament awards dinner. The gilded silver body was eventually found at Richie McCaw’s residence, Jerome Kaino had the lid and the base was retrieved from an unidentified location near Eden Park. Was that the actual Webb Ellis trophy though or a copy? Wouldn't the original go straight under locks and key more secure than players' digs? To confuse matters, the "real" William Webb Ellis trophy is apparently a replica of the 1906 original. Anyone?

Parsifal wrote:Since the first World Cup a number of replica trophies have been handed out to tournament winners but who has the "real" one and where the feck is it kept? I'm presuming the winners receive the original plus a replica.

As rumour has it, the day after New Zealand beat France in the 2011 final, organisers had to send out a last-minute search party to recover the trophy for the end-of-tournament awards dinner. The gilded silver body was eventually found at Richie McCaw’s residence, Jerome Kaino had the lid and the base was retrieved from an unidentified location near Eden Park. Was that the actual Webb Ellis trophy though or a copy? Wouldn't the original go straight under locks and key more secure than players' digs? To confuse matters, the "real" William Webb Ellis trophy is apparently a replica of the 1906 original. Anyone?

Its in our cabinet at NZRU HQ. Been there for years mate.

I believe that there are two "official" actual trophies - the old original and an exact copy made some time after the tournament began. I'm not sure what winners get to keep (although in 1987 each player got a beer tankard, I think).

If I can find sauce I'll post it.

"The Star-Times also understands the IRB is strongly considering giving South Africa or Australia one of the original cups to keep if they manage to become the first side to win the tournament three times. New Zealand’s commemorative cup is kept in Wellington alongside the Bledisloe Cup."

Pay up, you bastards.