On the 30th June 2013, after selling everything he owned, and never having spent more than a night or two in a tent (and 20kg overweight!), Ron Rutland left his home in Cape Town, and in a world first, spent the next 27 months cycling 42,000km alone through every country in Africa, as well as most of Europe, to reach England in time for the start of the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
6 years later, on the
2nd February 2019, this time with team mate James Owens in tow, Ron left Twickenham Stadium to continue his RWC cycling ‘odyssey’ as he and James began a remarkable quest to cycle over 20,000 km, through 27 countries, in just 231 days to reach Tokyo in time for the opening game of the 2019 RWC in Japan. The journey, sponsored by RWC Worldwide Partner, DHL, was a unique initiative to raise funds and awareness for ChildFund Pass It Back, the official charity of the 2019 RWC. In addition, Ron and James were tasked with delivering the match whistle for the opening game. Their adventures were documented In the recently released feature film, “Everything in Between”
Through the production process of the film, and in hindsight what was an incredibly serendipitous introduction, Ron met Adam Nunn. 18 months later, they are about to embark on a 600 day, 6 continent, 41 country, and 43,000km fundraising cycling expedition from Japan to New Zealand for the 2021 RWC (playing in 2022), and from there they will continue onto France for the 2023 RWC. They have been tasked with delivering the match whistle for the opening games of both RWC's, and have the target of raising a total of at least $500,000 for the respective RWC charities. Before their departure from Tokyo in March 2022, Ron and Adam will be undertaking a 'prologue' - in effect an excuse to include their home country of South Africa in their journey as they ride from Cape Town to Windhoek, starting 15 January 2022. From there they will finally head to Tokyo for the start of the 2021 RaceToRWC proper.
