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Champions!

England to get heroes' welcome

25/11/2003

 

England's rugby World Cup winners will receive a heroes' welcome when they arrive back in the United Kingdom reports BBC Sport.

The squad left Sydney on a British Airways plane specially named Sweet Chariot and are due to land at Heathrow airport at 0500 GMT.

Thousands of fans will turn out to welcome the players home and plans are already underway to mark their triumph, including a reception at Downing Street.

"We want to talk to the players, talk to the RFU and see what form and timing they want the celebration to take," said the Prime Minister's official spokesman.

"As we have said, there is an invitation to a reception at Downing Street and the timing will be in consultation with the players and the RFU."

A victory parade in London also looks a certainty, although the Rugby Football Union (RFU) said it would probably be well into next week before that could take place.

Dee McIntosh, England media manager at the RFU, said: "We certainly want to give the England fans and British public every opportunity to see the players when they come back.

"It has all got to be very carefully organised but it is all at the planning stage yet. We want there to be an appropriate event. It is being discussed as we speak.

"The parade is likely to be held some time in early December. Everybody that is part of the equation wants a parade to happen," said an RFU spokesman.

"The logistics and organisation are in hand and it is just a case of discussions with the council and the police over what the ideal route would be."

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