Thursday (September 18) marks the One Year to Go milestone for Rugby World Cup 2015 in England, signifying 12 months until the six week long Tournament kicks off at Twickenham Stadium. In celebration, Official Travel Agent for the Tournament exclusively in Great Britain, England Rugby Travel, has launched a Fanatical Rugby Fan Trail around England and Wales- www.englandrugbytravel.com/fantrail -mapping out key hotspots in the sport's eclectic history for fans to visit for a unique Rugby-themed break, before or during the Tournament. 

The Trail is the perfect accompaniment to England Rugby Travel's ticket-inclusive travel packages, available for all 48 matches  of Rugby World Cup 2015; offering fans the opportunity to discover more about Rugby's rich past as they venture to host cities across the UK to watch the titans of world Rugby go head to head. Prices for England pool matches start from £179 for a Day Return ticket-inclusive package to Manchester on October 10 2015, or alternatively choose a 'Two Night Rugby Weekender' break in the home of Welsh Rugby- Cardiff- combining tickets to see both Wales v Fiji and New Zealand v Georgia with a two night stay at The Angel, Cardiff on a B&B basis for £559.

The 'Rugby Route', as it's otherwise known, incorporates both historic landmarks and more unusual trivia and is perfect for any die-hard Rugby fan to check out as the world's best 20 teams gather for what is one of the biggest events in the world's sporting calendar. The Trail covers 10 specific destinations in different towns and cities across both England and Wales; ranging from the birthplace of the game itself and the resting place of one of England's greatest Rugby heroes, to arguably the most famous Rugby pub in the world- where many a fan has sunk a pint or two.

Highlights of the destinations covered by England Rugby Travel's Fanatical Rugby Fan Trail include:

• The Birthplace of the Game- Rugby School, Warwickshire

The playing fields where, back in 1823, William Webb Ellis first reportedly ran with the ball, even if the rules were a little different then - when Queen Adelaide came to watch a match a few years later, there were 75 players on one side and 225 on the other. Come along to see the very grounds on which Rugby was invented, before popping 100 yards down the road to the Webb Ellis Rugby Football Museum. 

• Manchester's Hidden Rugby Roots- Manchester City Stadium, Eastland, Manchester

Start your day on Baytree Road in Wigan and the grounds of Rugby-mad St John Fisher, the school that produced both England fly-half Owen Farrell and his flying team-mate Chris Ashton – not to mention league great and Wales defence Coach Shaun Edwards. Then head south into Manchester proper – reputed birthplace of William Webb Ellis- and also the venue for the only England game in Rugby World Cup 2015 to be played outside of Twickenham Stadium. Before the City of Manchester Stadium ever hosted Premier League champions, Man City it was a sell-out Rugby venue.

• The Cabbage Patch Pub- London Road, Twickenham

Arguably the most famous Rugby pub in the world. Taking its name from the nickname for the ground down the road (Twickenham Stadium had been allotments before being purchased by the RFU) the Cabbage Patch is the first port of call for many fans before and after big England games. With a large beer garden to take the inebriated overspill, it's rammed to the rafters on match days, the ideal place to get into a merry mood.

• Resting Place of The Flying Prince- New Cemetery, Ipswich

Prince Obolensky, The Flying Prince, one of English rugby's great heroes. Having escaped the Russian Revolution as child, Obo made his England debut in 1936 as a 19-year-old and scored two tries as his adopted country beat New Zealand for the first time in their history – one of them still talked about as England's greatest ever try. Joining the RAF's 504 squadron on the outbreak of the Second World War, he was killed aged just 24 when his Hurricane crashed on a training flight. Pay tribute at his statue in Cromwell Square before genuflecting by his headstone.

• Chris Robshaw's 'Black White Red'- Winchester, Hampshire

England captain Chris Robshaw's rather swish cafe/restaurant - no longer do back-row forwards exist solely on raw steak and Guinness. The man who has led his country's recovery since the disappointments of the last Rugby World Cup in New Zealand is often in there, selecting menus and chatting to diners.

England Rugby Travel has been appointed the Official Travel Agent for Rugby World Cup 2015, exclusively in Great Britain.  Ticket-inclusive travel packages are now available to purchase through England Rugby Travel for all Rugby World Cup 2015 matches, including a range of packages that combine match tickets with special Rugby-themed experiences and a variety of weekend breaks.  

To view the 'Fanatical Rugby Fan Trail' please visit: www.englandrugbytravel.com/fantrail 

To book ticket packages for Rugby World Cup 2015 please visit www.englandrugbytravel.com/rwc2015 or call 0844 7885000.

ENDS

For media information contact Fiona Reece or Emma Kent at Fiona Reece PR on fiona@fionareece.com / emma@fionareece.com or call 01242 211 192 or 07702 684 682

Notes to Editors

Other example packages now available to book include:

England v Play-Off Winner – Manchester City Stadium – Saturday October 10, 2015

England's Rugby World Cup campaign goes on the road for the only time in the pool stages when they face the Play-Off Winner at the Manchester City Stadium. The city of Manchester will be a home-from-home for England and will create a tremendous welcome for the team. Prices for a ticket-inclusive break including one night in the Park Inn by Radisson Manchester, based on two people sharing, start from £299pp; whilst a ticket-inclusive two night Rugby break with exclusive England Rugby Travel experience is also available from £539pp.

Final – Twickenham Stadium– Saturday October 31, 2015

Fans will be hoping for a repeat of England reaching the Final, but whoever's playing, it's sure to be a great game of Rugby. Prices for a two night stay in a hotel and official match ticket are available from £1,399pp, based on two nights at the Antoinette Kingston or two nights at the centrally located Mercure London Bloomsbury with an exclusive question and answer experience with England legends from £1,679pp, based on two people sharing.

England Rugby Travel is the official travel company of the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and has been appointed the Official Travel Agent for Rugby World Cup 2015, exclusively in Great Britain.  Follow them on social media via the following links;

Facebook – facebook.com/engrugbytravel

Twitter - @engrugbytravel

Rugby World Cup 2015 is due to kick off on September 18, with England's match against Fiji at Twickenham Stadium. There are 20 teams participating in the Tournament; the first pool matches will be played between September 18, 2015 and October 11, 2015 in 13 locations.  The quarter-finals will be played on October 17 and 18 at both the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff and Twickenham Stadium.  The semi-finals will be played on October 24 and 25 at Twickenham Stadium, the Bronze Final will be played on Friday October 30, 2015 at the Olympic Stadium and the Final will be played on Saturday October 31, 2015 at Twickenham Stadium.