To help bring fans closer to the action O2 are touring cities and rugby clubs across the country with the world’s first ever virtual reality sports experience, using the revolutionary Oculus Rift technology. The experience will allow people to feel what it’s like to ‘Wear the Rose’ by training with England’s Elite Player Squad without ever having to set foot on a blade of grass.

What's it look like? Photos

On the 7th March 2015, we want to see you at Deepings Rugby Union FC wearing your rose and join us and O2 and through the wonders of Oculus rift technology come and train with the England Rugby squad.

O2 brings ‘Wear the Rose’, the world’s first virtual reality sports experience on Oculus Rift, to Deepings Rugby Club.

Giving everyone in the Deepings the opportunity to train with England Rugby’s Elite Player Squad.

O2, proud partner of England Rugby, is taking ‘Wear the Rose’ on the road to local rugby clubs across the country and on Saturday the 7th March will be at the Deepings Rugby Club in Market Deeping. The first fully immersive 360-degree virtual reality sports experience, using the revolutionary Oculus Rift technology, ‘Wear the Rose’ gives fans the chance to feel what it’s like to train with the England Rugby Team.

The tour follows a recent O2 competition offering fans the opportunity to win ‘Wear the Rose’ to their local rugby club. The Oculus Rift technology is now hitting the road to visit the winning clubs in a custom built, one-off, live, mobile truck. The truck also features an exact replica of the England Rugby changing room at Twickenham.

‘Wear the Rose’ allows users to be fully immersed in a multi-sensory take-over and feel as though they are part of an England training session, whether it’s a team talk from Captain Chris Robshaw, getting tackled by hooker Tom Youngs, or receiving a pass from fullback Mike Brown.

The experience was created using nine GoPro Hero 3 cameras in a custom built gimble, specifically designed to exploit the capabilities of Oculus Rift. After developing the technology to capture the video, it took a further 160 hours of filming and 320 hours of development to create an experience that allows users to turn their head in any direction, with the content responding and moving in unison, displaying a full 360-degree visual spectrum.

People will be transported into a world where they find themselves on the rugby training pitch, surrounded by familiar faces from the England’s Squad. ‘Wear the Rose’ allows fans to train with the England team, participating in genuine drills directed by England Attacking Skills Coach Mike Catt, which will take their senses to the limit and make them feel as though they have just joined training following their first England call-up.

Gareth Griffiths, Head of Sport Sponsorship at O2, said: “We love discovering new ways of using technology to deliver exciting experiences for our customers, and what better way to bring England Rugby fans closer to the action than ‘Wear the Rose’ from O2. This exciting technology really has to be experienced to be believed and we’re proud to be bringing it to rugby fans across the UK.”
“We’re launching Wear the Rose at the start of an amazing year for O2 and England Rugby. We are calling upon the country to stand beside us, and get behind the England Rugby Team.”

Sophie Goldschmidt, RFU Chief Commercial & Marketing Officer said: “O2 has brought in fresh thinking, innovation and pushed the boundaries to deliver a truly unique experience for fans to enjoy. Wear the Rose allows fans to experience first-hand what it’s like to train with the England Rugby team and compete at the highest level, making dreams become a reality and taking fan engagement to a new high.”

Mark Owen, Chairman at Deepings Rugby Club is hugely looking forward to the day, “We’ve been in touch with O2 and the RFU and it’s going to give anyone, whether you’re a rugby player or not to come and experience rugby at the highest level. I’ve also arranged for the RFU Community team to come along and there will be a ‘Try It’ rugby session open to all players and people that want to just give it a go. Rugby both on and off the pitch can give so much, I’d urge everyone to come and have a go either in the virtual reality or get some kit on and come and try it for real. I’m happy to answer any questions before you come, just use our website and the ‘contact us’ feature, www.deepingsrufc.co.uk”

There is plenty of free parking at the Deepings Leisure Centre, the Clubhouse will be open with hot and cold food and refreshments. Deepings RUFC coaches will be on hand to answer any questions and you can try out scrummaging or your passing accuracy as a Scrumhalf. At 14:00 the RFU Community Coaching Team will take a coaching session for anyone age 16+ to attend, male & female changing facilities and showers, please wear appropriate clothing and we would recommend not wearing trainers.

You can watch the ‘Wear the Rose’ trailer on YouTube.

For more information on the day go to www.deepingsrufc.co.uk or search 'deepings rugby' on Facebook or twitter for more information on getting behind England Rugby with O2 go to O2.co.uk/rugby or follow @O2Sports on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube, #WearTheRose

O2
O2 is the commercial brand of Telefónica UK Limited and sponsors the England rugby team. Read more about O2 at o2.co.uk/news.

England Rugby
You can keep up to date with all England Rugby news on @EnglandRugby
For all the latest video news and content from inside the England camp visit englandrugby.com