Cookie Consent by Free Privacy Policy website The Catch: Land Rover’s Dramatic New Sculpture For Rugby World Cup 2015
september 22, 2015 - Land Rover

The Catch: Land Rover’s Dramatic New Sculpture For Rugby World Cup 2015

  • Land Rover unveils dramatic new sculpture at Twickenham Stadium, England as a meeting point for fans
  • Unveiled by England #rugby legend and Land Rover Ambassador Lawrence Dallaglio OBE in celebration of #rugby World Cup 2015
  • The Catch is the result of the ongoing collaboration between Land Rover's Design Director and Chief Creative Officer, Gerry McGovern, and the acclaimed Italian artist, Nino Mustica
  • It was inspired by the line out, one of the most memorable moments in #rugby that demands a unique combination of power and finesse
  • Two identical sculptures have been produced for Twickenham Stadium, England and the Millennium Stadium, Wales

Land Rover has revealed The Catch, a dramatic new sculpture to celebrate #rugbyworldcup2015. Measuring over 8 metres tall, it is the second piece in a collaboration between Land Rover's Design Director and Chief Creative Officer, Gerry McGovern, and the acclaimed Italian artist Nino Mustica.

McGovern and Mustica were joined by England #rugby legend and Land Rover Ambassador, Lawrence Dallaglio, to unveil the sculpture at Twickenham Stadium, England, where it will serve as a meeting point for fans throughout #rugbyworldcup2015. A second, identical sculpture will debut at the Millennium Stadium in Wales on 19 September 2015.

The Catch was inspired by the line out, one of the most memorable moments in #rugby that demands a unique combination of power and finesse.  Representing the fusion of art, automotive design and sport, it builds on the critical success of McGovern and Mustica's first collaboration, Unstoppable Spirit, which debuted in London in September 2015 (www.unstoppablespirit.com).

Constructed in Turin, Italy, The Catch is 8.2 metres high and 10 metres wide and took a team of forty people over 10,000 man-hours to build. Each sculpture features over 100 square metres of artificial grass and recreates the Land Rover Discovery Sport in a scale of 1:1. There are also 39 individual lights, which are used to create an abstract light show representing the colours of the 20 competing nations.

Lawrence Dallaglio OBE, a #rugby World Cup 2003 winner, acted as a consultant to the project. He visited Land Rover's technical centre in Gaydon, England, to discuss with McGovern the unique characteristics of the line out. Throughout his career Dallaglio, who won 85 England caps, was recognised as a leading exponent of the skill, making him the ideal person to advise on a project that looks at the line out with a fresh perspective.

"This sculptural form is a celebration of #rugbyworldcup2015," says McGovern. "We've taken a very powerful moment in the game and described it in an abstract way. As an Englishman, I'll never forget the #rugby World Cup 2003 Final and it's been fascinating to spend time with Lawrence and to learn more about the unique challenge of the line out. The combination of power and control required in the line out is something that's echoed in everything we do at Land Rover. I'm also delighted to be working with Nino Mustica again, an artist with an extraordinary ability to reinterpret traditional themes in a new and intriguing way. I hope fans from across the world will agree that together we've created not just a meeting point, but a fascinating piece of art."

Dallaglio says: "Everyone thinks that #rugby is all about big, powerful guys, but there's also an artistic and creative element to the game that's beautifully reflected in The Catch. It was fascinating to spend time in Land Rover's Virtual Reality Cave, to discuss the line out, and to make my contribution to the evolution of the sculpture. I'm sure it will become a memorable meeting point for fans and add to the excitement of #rugbyworldcup2015."

For Mustica, the work represents an on going relationship with Land Rover that began with Unstoppable Spirit. "I'm delighted to be working with Gerry [McGovern] again on this unique project for #rugbyworldcup2015," he says. "The line out has a beauty and finesse that belies its explosive power and I've tried to reveal that inThe Catch. I hope it will stimulate debate among fans attending games throughout the Tournament."

The Catch will be on view in the Fan Zone at Twickenham, England, and at the Millennium Stadium in Wales for the duration of #rugbyworldcup2015.

To find out more visit www.landrover.com/rugby.