FRANCE – Tongan rugby fans “are getting warm” as the ‘Ikale Tahi’ (Sea Eagles) prepare for their Rugby World Cup opening match with world ranked number one Ireland in Nantes on Saturday, said captain Sonatane Takulua.
The 32-year-old scrum-half knows this because they have apparently started the by now familiar ritual of painting his name on to cars and property in his home village of Lapaha.
Whether there are any cars or houses left for his name to be daubed on remains to be seen as they did this prior to the 2src15 and 2src19 editions.
“They were hot back then,” Takulua said on Tuesday.
“Then you know our people when they are hot they are hot but when they are cold they don’t know where they are at.
“But the feeling is coming back.
“Supporters in Tonga and all over the world are getting warm now as it is close to our first match and I think they are still doing that, painting the cars a lot,” he added grinning.
Tonga have appeared at every World Cup apart from 1991 and rec
…. to be continued
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