Rugby League World Cup stars past and present, including Martin Offiah, Ray French and Dave Rose gathered at the George Hotel in Huddersfield, the birthplace of Rugby League yesterday to give the trophy a special send-off. It will travel across the UK in the next six weeks and on into 2013.

As part of the celebrations a class of schoolchildren from Scholes Junior School in Holmfirth performed a version of the dramatic scene from the now famous meeting of the Northern Union which created Rugby League. The mini-play was given special gravitas by the fact that the children performed in the actual room where the famous meeting is thought to have taken place.

The 61cm high, silver-plated trophy has a fascinating and illustrious past. It was commissioned by Paul Barrière, a former French Resistance fighter, for Rugby League’s inaugural 1954 World Cup. Great Britain won that tournament so it was especially poignant that the family of Dave Valentine, sadly now deceased, the winning captain, were at the launch. Dave Rose, who also played in the match for Great Britain, made the trip from the Scottish borders with his family. 

RLWC2013 Tournament Director, Nigel Wood said: “This magnificent trophy was one of the great Paul Barrière’s many gifts to our game and deserves to be seen by as many people as possible.

“As part of our promotional plans for the tournament, the trophy will travel around the UK throughout the rest of 2012 and on into next year – right up to the first game at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff on October 26 2013.

“We’d like to thank reigning champions New Zealand for giving us the opportunity to take the trophy on the road in this way and also the children from Scholes Junior School for their great performance”.

The highlights of the tour in 2012 including visits to Downing Street, The Senedd at The National Assembly for Wales, The St Helens’ Schools Whittle Cup Festival and Old Trafford, as well as the forthcoming Autumn International series matches at Lens, Wrexham, Hull and Salford.

Confirmed Trophy Tour Dates for 2012

October

Tues Oct 9                  Launch, George Hotel                        Huddersfield

Fri Oct 12                    Wigan Business Expo, DW Stadium  Wigan

Weds Oct 17               Whittle Cup Schools Festival              St Helens

Thurs Oct 18               Langtree Park                                     St Helens

Sat Oct 20                   France v Wales                                   Lens

Fri Oct 26                    ‘1 Year to Go’ event                            MediaCityUK

Sat Oct 27                   Wales v England                                 Wrexham

Mon Oct 29                 Civic reception                                    Warrington

Tues Oct 30                All Parliamentary Group                     London

Weds Oct 31               Parliament & Downing Street (a.m.)  London

Weds Oct 31               Welsh National Assembly       (p.m)   Cardiff

November

Fri Nov 2                     Community Day                                 Hull

Sat Nov 3                    England v France                               Hull

Thurs Nov 8                Christmas Lights Switch-on                Leeds

Fri Nov 9                     Community Day                                 Manchester

Sun Nov 11                 Autumn International series final        Salford

Tues Nov 13               Bolton Expo                                        Bolton

Thurs Nov 15              Christmas Lights Switch-on                Wigan

Sat Nov 17                  Christmas Lights Switch-on                Rochdale

Fri Nov 30                   ‘1 Year to the Final’ event                   Old Trafford