Former England Rugby star Will Greenwood at Snozone as clock to World Cup ...

17/09/13 Will Greenwood – xscape, milton keynesA snowboarder jumps a set of rugby posts at The Sno!zone in the Xscape at Central Milton Keynes as Rugby World Cup winner Will Greenwood is joined by Bedford Blues James Pitchyard, Northants Saints Will Hool

THE RUGBY World Cup matches in Milton Keynes are only two years away, so officials have been celebrating by placing rugby posts in Xscape’s Snozone.

Ten specially designed rugby posts are to be installed in parks and green spaces around Milton Keynes, including the one that was at Xscape, as part of the Rugby Football Union’s (RFU) Posts in the Park scheme, launched yesterday to help get more people involved in the sport.

In May, Milton Keynes was announced as one of 13 venues for Rugby World Cup 2015 matches between September 18 and October 31 2015, following a joint bid made by Milton Keynes Council, MK Dons and other city partners.

Will Greenwood, who was part of the World Cup winning squad in 2003, was at the event yesterday, along with mayor Brian White and MK Dons chairman Pete Winkelman.

Greenwood said: “It’s an opportunity to get people aware of a date because often you see a sporting occasion in the future and it doesn’t register.

“This is an incredible, global event and the stadium here is fantastic as we already know with the Heineken Cup games that have been held here.”

Cllr White said the Rugby World Cup was as good an opportunity as Milton Keynes has ever had to put the city on the map.

“This can put us on the map internationally.

“We can showcase ourselves to the world and welcome thousands of people to Milton Keynes and I also think it will be great for business in the area.”

Milton Keynes Council is working with parish and town councils to decide where the 10 posts will go.

Former England Rugby star Will Greenwood at Snozone as clock to World Cup ...