The schoolboy who had his hands on World Cup, and had to fight urge to run off with it
A SCHOOLBOY who landed a dream role in the opening ceremony of the Rugby World Cup has told how he was tempted to run off with the Webb Ellis Cup.
Ed Anthony also disclosed that Prince Harry had to step in to give him a breather during an arduous filming regime for the tournament’s curtainraiser. The 14-year-old was chosen ahead of dozens of youngsters to play William Webb Ellis in a recreation of the moment in 1823 when he invented rugby.
The short film, which featured Prince Harry and a host of rugby stars, was played at the opening ceremony at Twickenham on Friday night. Ed, a pupil at Rugby School where the sport was born, appeared again in a live sequence at the stadium where he clambered over a scrum of players to lift the coveted trophy.
He told The Daily Telegraph: “To actually get my hands on such an iconic rugby symbol was incredibly special for me. I actually didn’t want to let go. I could have walked away with it, it’s just so important to me.”
The game was said to have been invented after William Webb Ellis a Rugby School pupil, picked up a football during a match and ran with it. Ed played the pupil and in one scene ran through some school gates, passing Prince Harry and Jonny Wilkinson along the way.
The scene had to be shot more than 20 times. “So towards the end I was getting tired as I had the run-up to get my speed going and the wind-down,” he said yesterday.
“Prince Harry noticed and asked the director if I could have a breather which was so nice of him. But all this has been incredible fun and getting the chance to be with Prince Harry and Jonny was quite something.
“They get on so well, there’s always banter between them.”
Ed added: “Although I wouldn’t want to be a royal, I now know what a difficult job they do and I have huge respect for them.”