Photos by Linny Folau

A crazy day has dawned in Tonga, September 9, the day every Tongan has been counting down the hours to enjoy as its national rugby team 'Ikale Tahi takes on the mighty All Blacks in the Rugby World Cup opener tonight at Eden Park in Auckland. Back home, the capital Nuku'alofa is decked out in red and white and it seems like the whole population has single-mindedly turned into 'Ikale Tahi fanatics.

In the Nuku'alofa Central Business District starting from this morning there were traffic jams in a mad sea of red and white with shops, vehicles, bicycles and every man, woman, child and baby and quite a few dogs were dressed up in red and white. Loud music blares from everywhere as DJ's pound out the 'Ikale Tahi songs from shops, cars and street corners.

The maddest of all fans were found at the main Talamahu Market dancing on the tables. The market building and vegetable stalls were decked in the national team's colour with balloons and banners and Christmas decorations everywhere. Crazy fans danced in groups to loud music.

On the roads Tongan flags were waving from vehicles and there were animated Tongan flags attached to window wipers. Even the main intersections in Nuku'alofa are decked in red and white balloons and flags. Some cars are painted in red with the Tongan flag for the occasion.

Never ending float parades are running around the town with beeping horns and truckloads of screaming fans as the capital goes crazy for 'Ikale Tahi. An amazing sight today as the whole population are united in Tonga as they loudly count down the hours to when the 'Ikale Tahi meets the All Blacks at Eden Park at 9:30pm local time on Television Tonga.