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Rugby World Cup 2015: England Victorious Over Fiji 35-11 As Prince Harry Makes Cameo In Opening Film

Watch Prince Harry's Rugby World Cup Cameo Dressed As A Gardener
Louise Ridley
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The Rugby World Cup 2015 kicked off on Friday night as hosts England took on Fiji at Twickenham in front of around 82,000 people.

The game, which England won decisively 35-11, followed a spectacular opening ceremony which featured a giant rugby ball, pyrotechnics and a surprise cameo appearance from Prince Harry.

Harry, who is a passionate fan of the sport, joined a cast of famous rugby faces in a short film recreating the moment when William Webb Ellis invented rugby.

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Harry in the World Cup launch film

The legendary schoolboy is said to have picked up a ball and run with it in 1823, creating the game that would go on to become a global sport.

The Twickenham crowd cheered as the short video was played before the opening game of the tournament, The Press Association reported.

In the footage the teenager, clutching the ball, runs out of the grounds of Rugby School passing two workmen - the prince and Jonny Wilkinson, England's 2003 Rugby World Cup winning hero.

Harry, wearing a white shirt, braces and trousers, looks up from digging with a spade and when Wilkinson asks "What's he doing?" the prince replies "Don't worry Jonny, that will never take off" as he watches the teenager disappear into the distance.

Harry was emulating the Queen by making the appearance - his grandmother stole the show at the opening ceremony for the London 2012 Olympics when she starred alongside James Bond, played by Daniel Craig, and appeared to skydive into the main stadium.

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The Rugby World Cup is expected to be watched by a huge global audience over the next six weeks and hosts England are a favourite to win and were expected to win the opening Fiji game.

Harry, who is the honorary president of England Rugby 2015, the organising committee staging the tournament, was joined at Twickenham by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prime Minister David Cameron.

Rugby World Cup: England Fiji opening game
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Fiji's Waisea Nayacalevu, left, tackles England's Jonathan Joseph during the Rugby World Cup Pool A match between England and Fiji at Twickenham Stadium, London, Friday, Sept. 18, 2015. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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England's Geoff Parling reaches up for the ball during the Rugby World Cup Pool A match between England and Fiji at Twickenham Stadium, London, Friday, Sept. 18, 2015. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Spectators cheer ahead of the Rugby World Cup Pool A match between England and Fiji at Twickenham Stadium, London, Friday, Sept. 18, 2015. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Fiji's Nemani Nadolo gestures to the crowd during the Rugby World Cup Pool A match between England and Fiji at Twickenham Stadium, London, Friday, Sept. 18, 2015. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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England's Anthony Watson, right, is tackled by Fiji's Nemani Nadolo during the Rugby World Cup Pool A match between England and Fiji at Twickenham Stadium, London, Friday, Sept. 18, 2015. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Fiji's Dominiko Waqaniburotu, left, and England's Courtney Lawes compete for a line out during the Rugby World Cup Pool A match between England and Fiji at Twickenham Stadium, London, Friday, Sept. 18, 2015. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Fiji's Leone Nakarawa wins the ball in a line up during the Rugby World Cup Pool A match between England and Fiji at Twickenham Stadium, London, Friday, Sept. 18, 2015. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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England's Mike Brown, second right, is congratulated after scoring a try during the Rugby World Cup Pool A match between England and Fiji at Twickenham Stadium, London, Friday, Sept. 18, 2015. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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England's Anthony Watson runs with the ball during the Rugby World Cup Pool A match between England and Fiji at Twickenham Stadium, London, Friday, Sept. 18, 2015. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Rugby players that have previously played in the world cup tournament take part in the opening ceremony ahead of the Rugby World Cup Pool A match between England and Fiji at Twickenham Stadium, London, Friday, Sept. 18, 2015. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Britain's Prince Harry and World Rugby chairman Bernard Lapasset, right, speak during the opening ceremony ahead of the Rugby World Cup Pool A match between England and Fiji at Twickenham Stadium, London, Friday, Sept. 18, 2015. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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The opening ceremony ahead of the Rugby World Cup Pool A match between England and Fiji at Twickenham Stadium, London, Friday, Sept. 18, 2015. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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The opening ceremony ahead of the Rugby World Cup Pool A match between England and Fiji at Twickenham Stadium, London, Friday, Sept. 18, 2015. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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The opening ceremony ahead of the Rugby World Cup Pool A match between England and Fiji at Twickenham Stadium, London, Friday, Sept. 18, 2015. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Members of the military attend the opening ceremony ahead of the Rugby World Cup Pool A match between England and Fiji at Twickenham Stadium, London, Friday, Sept. 18, 2015. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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A giant rugby ball is unveiled during the opening ceremony ahead of the Rugby World Cup Pool A match between England and Fiji at Twickenham Stadium, London, Friday, Sept. 18, 2015. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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The opening ceremony ahead of the Rugby World Cup Pool A match between England and Fiji at Twickenham Stadium, London, Friday, Sept. 18, 2015. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Fireworks are set off during the opening ceremony ahead of the Rugby World Cup Pool A match between England and Fiji at Twickenham Stadium, London, Friday, Sept. 18, 2015. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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England fans wearing costumes gesture ahead of the Rugby World Cup Pool A match between England and Fiji at Twickenham Stadium, London, Friday, Sept. 18, 2015. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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An England fan wearing a costume smiles ahead of the Rugby World Cup Pool A match between England and Fiji at Twickenham Stadium, London, Friday, Sept. 18, 2015. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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England fans wearing costumes smile ahead of the Rugby World Cup Pool A match between England and Fiji at Twickenham Stadium, London, Friday, Sept. 18, 2015. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Fiji's scrum-half Nikola Matawalu (R) attempts and fails to score a try as he loses control of the ball next to England's fullback Mike Brown (L) during a Pool A match of the 2015 Rugby World Cup between England and Fiji at Twickenham stadium in south west London on September 18, 2015. AFP PHOTO / ADRIAN DENNISRESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE, NO USE IN LIVE MATCH TRACKING SERVICES, TO BE USED AS NON-SEQUENTIAL STILLS (Photo credit should read ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:ADRIAN DENNIS via Getty Images)
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Fiji's scrum-half Nikola Matawalu attempts and fails to score a try as he loses control of the ball during a Pool A match of the 2015 Rugby World Cup between England and Fiji at Twickenham stadium in south west London on September 18, 2015. AFP PHOTO / ADRIAN DENNISRESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE, NO USE IN LIVE MATCH TRACKING SERVICES, TO BE USED AS NON-SEQUENTIAL STILLS (Photo credit should read ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:ADRIAN DENNIS via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 18: Referee Jaco Peyper of South Africa awards a penalty try during the 2015 Rugby World Cup Pool A match between England and Fiji at Twickenham Stadium on September 18, 2015 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Richard Heathcote - World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images) (credit:Richard Heathcote - World Rugby via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 18: Nemani Nadolo of Fiji crashes into Tom Youngs and Chris Robshaw of England during the 2015 Rugby World Cup Pool A match between England and Fiji at Twickenham Stadium on September 18, 2015 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Jan Hendrik Kruger/Getty Images) (credit:Jan Hendrik Kruger via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 18: Mike Brown of England goes over to score the second try during the 2015 Rugby World Cup Pool A match between England and Fiji at Twickenham Stadium on September 18, 2015 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images) (credit:Paul Gilham via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 18: Mike Brown of England goes over to score the second try during the 2015 Rugby World Cup Pool A match between England and Fiji at Twickenham Stadium on September 18, 2015 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Richard Heathcote - World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images) (credit:Richard Heathcote - World Rugby via Getty Images)
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England's fullback Mike Brown (R) reacts after scoring a try during a Pool A match of the 2015 Rugby World Cup between England and Fiji at Twickenham stadium in south west London on September 18, 2015. AFP PHOTO / BEN STANSALLRESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE, NO USE IN LIVE MATCH TRACKING SERVICES, TO BE USED AS NON-SEQUENTIAL STILLS (Photo credit should read BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:BEN STANSALL via Getty Images)
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England's winger Anthony Watson (L) is tackled during a Pool A match of the 2015 Rugby World Cup between England and Fiji at Twickenham stadium in south west London on September 18, 2015. AFP PHOTO / FRANCK FIFERESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE, NO USE IN LIVE MATCH TRACKING SERVICES, TO BE USED AS NON-SEQUENTIAL STILLS (Photo credit should read FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:FRANCK FIFE via Getty Images)
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England's fullback Mike Brown (C) reacts after scoring a try during a Pool A match of the 2015 Rugby World Cup between England and Fiji at Twickenham stadium in south west London on September 18, 2015. AFP PHOTO / BEN STANSALLRESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE, NO USE IN LIVE MATCH TRACKING SERVICES, TO BE USED AS NON-SEQUENTIAL STILLS (Photo credit should read BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:BEN STANSALL via Getty Images)
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England's fullback Mike Brown (C) celebrates scoring a try during a Pool A match of the 2015 Rugby World Cup between England and Fiji at Twickenham stadium in south west London on September 18, 2015. AFP PHOTO BEN STANSALLRESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE, NO USE IN LIVE MATCH TRACKING SERVICES, TO BE USED AS NON-SEQUENTIAL STILLS (Photo credit should read BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:BEN STANSALL via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 18: George Ford of England converts the ball during the 2015 Rugby World Cup Pool A match between England and Fiji at Twickenham Stadium on September 18, 2015 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Richard Heathcote - World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images) (credit:Richard Heathcote - World Rugby via Getty Images)
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Fiji's Nikola Matawalu makes a break during the Rugby World Cup Pool A match between England and Fiji at Twickeham stadium in London, Friday, Sept. 18, 2015. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) (credit:Alastair Grant/AP)
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England's Mike Brown celebrates scoring his side's first try during the Rugby World Cup match at Twickenham Stadium, London. (credit:Mike Egerton/PA Wire)
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England's captain Chris Robshaw gestures during the Rugby World Cup Pool A match between England and Fiji at Twickeham stadium in London, Friday, Sept. 18, 2015. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) (credit:Alastair Grant/AP)
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Fiji's Metuisela Talebula is tackled by England's Dan Cole during the Rugby World Cup Pool A match between England and Fiji at Twickeham stadium in London, Friday, Sept. 18, 2015. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) (credit:Alastair Grant/AP)
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Fiji's Ben Volavola misses a penalty during the Rugby World Cup match at Twickenham Stadium, London. (credit:David Davies/PA Wire)
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Fiji win a lineout during the Rugby World Cup match at Twickenham Stadium, London. (credit:David Davies/PA Wire)
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England head coach Stuart Lancaster during the Rugby World Cup match at Twickenham Stadium, London. (credit:David Davies/PA Wire)
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