ANZ Challenge Cup brings international names to Shanghai

The illustrious Leicester Tigers rugby team has finalized plans for a goodwill mission to Shanghai and Beijing June 19-25. The object of the tour is to foster the development of rugby in China in cooperation with the UK's Department of Culture, Media and Sport, and also cheer on China's teams in the ANZ Challenge Cup taking place in Shanghai this June.

Making the trip to China are England's World Cup-winning captain, Martin Johnson; England's leading try scorer, Rory Underwood; the former English captain, British Lion and current CEO of the Tigers, Peter Wheeler; and lastly, the Tigers' director and Director General of the Confederation of British Industry, Sir Digby Jones.

These four men will be discussing rugby promotion with politicians as well as representatives from the Senior Sports Commission. They hope to work together and raise awareness of the sport through the media and national heroes such as Niu Jian, who played for the Spanish club CAU and has survived leukemia.

Rugby fans will get a chance to meet the stars in a formal environment at the Crowne Plaza Parkview Wuzhou Beijing on Wednesday, June 21. This gala dinner will conclude the Beijing portion of the trip, and Johnson, Wheeler and Underwood will continue on to Shanghai. On Friday June 23, the Shanghai Long Lunch will be held at the Intercontinental Hotel in Pudong. Both events feature ESPN's rugby commentator Justin Sampson as the MC, and both will raise money for Half The Sky Foundation. Tickets for both events are RMB 880 net person, or RMB 8000 net per table of ten. For the last stop of their tour, Johnson, Wheeler and Underwood will be on hand to watch the ANZ Challenge Cup, an exhibition match between the Chinese national rugby team and the ANZ Presidents XV. It will be held on Saturday, June 24 at the SRFC in Jinqiao, Pudong. The main event is far from the only reason to attend; activities will be held all day for adults and children, with food and drink available.