Sport Rugby union No. of teams 2 Most recent
champion(s) Wales | Founded 2007 Country South Africa
Wales | |
The Prince William Cup was created in 2007 by the Welsh Rugby Union and celebrates 100 years of rugby union history between Wales and South Africa. It is named after the Vice Royal Patron of the WRU, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, who presented the cup, amid much booing from the Millennium Stadium crowd, to the inaugural winners of the trophy in the inaugural Prince William Cup match held at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday 24 November 2007.
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Due possibly to Welsh fan hostility & South African supporter apathy, the Prince William Cup has a very low profile compared to other inter-nation rugby cups (such as the Calcutta Cup or the Bledisloe Cup) and that there is a trophy awarded to the winner at all is seldom included in either Welsh or South African media coverage of the game.
The Trophy
The trophy was chosen by Prince William, from three different designs presented by specialist jewelers. Mari Thomas, from Llanelli, and Nicola Palterman, from Neath won the commission to create the cup. The pair, who have exhibited their jewellery around the world from London to New York City, claim the creation of the 55 cm high, 1.5 mm gauge trophy as their biggest and most elaborate creation to date. The Prince William Cup is elegantly designed, inspired by the landscapes of South Africa and Wales. The trophy is the ninth of its type in world rugby and was presented to the winner of the first clash by Prince William himself.
Controversy
The naming of the cup for Prince William has caused considerable controversy in Wales. Many people called on the WRU to rename the trophy in honour of Welsh international rugby star Ray Gravell, who died on 31 October 2007. During a tribute to Gravell at the inaugural match the stadium announcer asked the crowd to remember Ray as 'gwir dywysog Cymru', a true prince of Wales. Gravell's funeral was attended by over 10,000 people, including Rhodri Morgan, First Minister of Wales. On-line petitions were launched. The matter was raised in the National Assembly for Wales by Helen Mary Jones AM backed by a number of other AMs including Bethan Jenkins. Amongst MPs, Labour MP Paul Flynn and Plaid's Adam Price MP called for the WRU to honour Ray Gravell as a patriotic Welshman rather than Prince William, regarded by many in Wales as an Englishman who openly supports the England rugby and football teams
An online petition has been created calling for the cup to be renamed to honour Ray Gravell.