Warm welcome for 'Ikale Tahi at Cheltenham [1]
Monday, September 14, 2015 - 12:22. Updated on Monday, September 14, 2015 - 12:26.
Photos courtesy England Rugby 2015
Tonga’s ‘Ikale Tahi was warmly welcomed to Rugby World Cup 2015 at Cheltenham Town Hall in England on Saturday 12 September, a week ahead of their first game.
The official welcome ceremony marked the arrival of the team ahead of the start of their Rugby World Cup 2015 campaign at Kingsholm Stadium in Gloucester on September 19, when they face Georgia in their opening game of the Tournament.
The Tonga squad arrived at Cheltenham Town Hall to be greeted by a choir from Bishop's Cleeve Primary Academy from Cheltenham, performing World In Union for an audience, including figures from World Rugby, England Rugby 2015 and the RFU, as well as the player's families and the local community. Following welcome speeches, from World Rugby Board Member, David Pickering and England Rugby 2015 Chairman, Andy Cosslett, each member of the team was presented with a tournament cap and Rugby World Cup 2015 participation medal. There were four cap and medal bearers who were selected from local clubs and educational institutions, representing the legacy of Rugby World Cup 2015.
England Rugby 2015 reported that tickets are still available for Tonga's matches against Georgia, Argentina, Namibia and New Zealand via tickets.rugbyworldcup.com [2]
• September 19, 12:00 - Tonga v Georgia, Kingsholm Stadium, Gloucester
• September 29, 16:45 - Tonga v Namibia, Sandy Park, Exeter
• October 4, 14:30 - Argentina v Tonga, Leicester City Stadium, Leicester
• October 9, 20:00 - New Zealand v Tonga, St. James Park, Newcastle Upon Tyne.
During their time at Rugby World Cup 2015, Tonga will be based at Cheltenham RFC, Loughborough University, University of Exeter, and University of Northumbria.
England Rugby stated that fans should only buy tickets from official sources to ensure their ticket is valid for entry at Rugby World Cup 2015 matches. To check whether a company or certain website is an official RWC2015 channel, fans can use an 'Official Checker' tool located at www.rugbyworldcup.com/buyofficial [3].