It was the work of
Matt Wild and his company Wild Creations and was all done overnight on
Thursday, the culmination of a top secret project. Installation at the castle began at 11pm but
the life of the ball actually began about five weeks ago. The concept was first developed with a
computer sketch. “Everything is drawn up on the computer first just to get
Cardiff council, who were commissioning the ball, the right sort of angles, the
right look, and just check that everybody was happy,” said the developer.
The ball was cut by a computer aided milling
machine called 5 axis CNC. The machine cut a quarter of the ball out of
polystyrene, which was then smoothed out. A mold was taken of the quarter and
then cast into fibreglass to make the four quarters of the ball. Once the
casting was completed, the piece was cut, painted and vinyl was applied to make
it look like an authentic Rugby World Cup ball. While the ball was being cast,
steel workers welded the frame on which the ball would be mounted. “There’s steelwork throughout the inside of
the ball and actually on the other side of the castle as well. That’s what’s
holding it up. There’s nothing actually on the castle or affecting the castle,”
Wild said.
The bricks that
appear to be bursting from the castle are made with a two-part foam and were
made out of a cast from actual bricks in Cardiff castle. The entire piece, the
ball and the bricks, were assembled on the ground. Then it was lifted by a
40-ton crane into place. It is similar
to a hook hanging over the castle wall, and a water-balance counterweight keeps
it steady.
Project development
manager at Cardiff council, Heather Brown, 46, said the city wanted something
eye-catching to mark the start of the games. Upon seeing its appearance, people were
photoshopping the 'ball in the wall' and everyone was delighted. The ball will be up for three weeks.
The Webb Ellis Cup
is the prize presented to winners of the Rugby World Cup, named after William
Webb Ellis. The trophy was chosen in
1987 as an appropriate cup for use in the competition, and was created in 1906
by Garrard's Crown Jewellers. The trophy
is restored after each game by fellow Royal Warrant holder Thomas Lyte. The words 'The International Rugby Football
Board' and 'The Webb Ellis Cup' are engraved on the face of the cup. It stands
thirty-eight centimetres high and is silver gilded in gold, and supported by
two cast scroll handles, one with the head of a satyr, and the other a head of
a nymph. In Australia the trophy is colloquially known as "Bill" — a
reference to William Webb Ellis.
With regards – S. Sampathkumar
23rd Sept. 2015.
