By Kath 19/7/07
July 19 2007

England Rugby countdown to the 2007 Rugby World Cup reaches the 50 days mark, the Rugby Football Union has announced it is to launch a specially commissioned World Cup microsite to help England fans get their World Cup fix. So you will be able to check all the latest news and updates!  

England launch World Cup site going LIVE on  29 August 2007.

The site will go live on Wednesday 29 August, five days before the squad head to France, and will be full of exclusive content and features fans won’t find anywhere else, like daily video footage from inside the England camp, behind the scenes photos, a Rob Andrew column and a daily England Rugby podcast.

Says Kate Saunders, the RFU’s Digital Media Manager, “As one of the biggest sporting events in the world, the RWC has a huge appeal. This website will help all England fans share the excitement by offering exclusive content that no other website can rival.    “Visitors will be able to get England team announcements and squad news before anyone else and enter competitions to win exclusive England Rugby prizes.  “They will be able to hear Rob Andrew’s thoughts in his weekly column, read Brian Ashton’s Q&As in our Ask Ashton feature each week and get the inside track on life as an England player through regular player interviews and player diaries.”

The website will also provide a host of information for fans travelling the France and give visitors the opportunity to share their own thoughts on hot topics through the fan blog service. Through the Junior Supporters’ Club, it will also include content commissioned specifically for young fans, including everything they need to know to give it a go.    To build the microsite, which will sit within the existing rfu.com, the RFU has commissioned Fast Web Media, a specialist in sports websites and digital media.

When England made history by beating the hosts Australia to become World Champions in 2003, interest rocketed with over 650,000 fans visiting the rfu.com website.   With internet use still climbing and the explosion of online communications like podcast and blogs, the site is expected to attract over a million visitors over the six weeks of the tournament.

England Rugby’s dedicated 2007 RWC website

www.rfu.com/rwc

 goes live on 29 August 2007.