The launch took place at Wilmslow High School in Cheshire and saw the stars take part in a tag rugby tournament with pupils from the school as part of National School Sport Week, which is taking place all this week from Monday (June 23) to Friday (June 27).

National School Sport Week is delivered by charity, the Youth Sport Trust, partners of the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and England 2015 in launching the new website.

The website, designed by teachers, is based around the RFU's five core values of teamwork, respect, enjoyment, discipline and sportsmanship, it is claimed.

It aims to offer creative ways in which teachers can apply each of those values in meaningful ways to benefit their students across the curriculum and generate interest in the Rugby World Cup 2015, due to take place next year from September 18 to October 1.

"This is an exciting project to help us raise awareness of rugby union in schools and inspire more young people to play the game or be involved in the sport in other ways," said RFU rugby development director Steve Grainger.

"Our aim is to help them feel part of the excitement that hosting Rugby World Cup 2015 will bring to this country and to have a real connection to the sport in the build-up to the tournament."

The new website is based on the RFU's core values and aims to generate interest in next year's Rugby World Cup ©RFU




Along with the launch of the website, the School Rugby Ambassador Programme was also unveiled which will see pupils selected to take a leading role within their school in the promotion of rugby and England 2015 by organising events marking key milestones in the build-up to the tournament.

"Rugby World Cup 2015 offers us the perfect chance to engage young people across the country in grassroots rugby and the School Rugby Ambassador programme will be the driving force in helping to utilise the sort of enthusiasm that we have witnessed here today," said Greenwood, part of the England team that won the Webb Ellis Cup in Australia in 2003.

"I hope that all schools take up this great opportunity to support the tournament and leave a legacy for the game."

Rugby World Cup 2015 organisers hope to use young ambassadors from schools to promote the game of rugby as the sport's showpiece event comes to England ©Getty Images



Last month, the Young Rugby Ambassador initiative continued recruiting young people aged between 16 to 20-years-old who are tasked with encouraging players to come back to the game and promote the Rugby World Cup.

So far, the RFU says it has 909 young rugby ambassadors and 441 mentors.

In addition, the RFU's All Schools Programme launched in 2012, which aims to get 750 state schools playing rugby in the run up to the 2015 Rugby World Cup and beyond.

Debbie Jevans, chief executive of England 2015, said: "Through this partnership with the RFU and the Youth Sport Trust we are engaging young people in Rugby World Cup 2015 and helping to spread the excitement around the country as we head towards the tournament.

"We want young people to play an important role in welcoming the world to this proud rugby nation and this initiative will give an excellent opportunity for fans, players and visitors to interact with schools and the local community."

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