England wary of Tonga's green-island monsters
Tonga are going green for the England clash
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Thursday, 27, Sep 2007 11:49
England's crunch clash with Tonga tomorrow in Paris is set to be an eye-catching affair for more than just the action on the pitch.
The south Pacific islanders have come up with their own take on team spirit, with all 22 members of the match-day squad dyeing their hair green.
In a bid to bind the team together – and also to raise much-needed funds – the squad have been undergoing a green rinse in Montpellier at their hotel, reports the Guardian.
The idea came from bookmaker Paddy Power, which has agreed to provide thousands of pounds in sponsorship funds to the squad, which at one stage was in danger of not making the trip to France due to financial constraints.
After centre Epeli Taione had offered to change his name to the sponsor's by deed poll – a move which ruling body, the International Rugby Board (IRB), chose to ignore – the Tongans have turned to the hairdressers for help.
Echoing the sponsor's green logo, Taione and co will take to the field with bright green hair – something he admitted was not likely to go down well.
"They [the IRB] will go mad about this," the former Sale centre told the newspaper.
England will be keen the headline writers do not get the chance to indulge in some green puns, with the Tonga game effectively a knockout match for the quarter-finals.
After an impressive start to the tournament – beating Samoa and the USA and running South Africa close – Tonga will be eager to continue their stay in France.