KEY POINTS:
The International Rugby Board have been ordered not to dye their hair green for their crucial pool match against England tomorrow morning, it has been reported.
All their 22 players had agreed to dye their hair green to thank their Irish sponsor.
The Guardian newspaper reported that the Tongans came up with the idea as a way to publicly thank bookmaker Paddy Power, which made a five-figure donation to help fund their World Cup campaign.
But the Telegraph newspaper later said the IRB had told the team to abandon the idea.
It quoted an official as saying: "The Tongan team and officials have agreed that they will appear normally and have been reminded of the importance of the match."
Tongan Rugby Union chief executive Siosahia Fonua earlier said he was waiting for information from France on the issue.
"I have very limited information on the green hair. I don't want to discuss it further. It's sensitive here," Mr Fonua said.
"They [the authorities] will go mad about this," said Epeli Taione, the player who hit upon the idea after raising the money to help pay Tonga's way to France. The team are cash-strapped and before Taione's fundraising effort they had intended to stay at home until the last minute.
Thanks to the sponsor they were able to afford training camps in New Zealand and England before moving into the slightly unkempt hotel at Clapier they have occupied for the past three weeks.
The 28-year-old Taione initially thanked the sponsor by changing his name by deed poll, but when the International Rugby Board (IRB) refused to amend his entry in the tournament guide to "Paddy Power" he asked what else the team could do.
Paddy Power sent hairdresser Dermot Hickie along to give the team an Irish makeover.
"It's just a luck-of-the-Irish thing," said Paddy Power representative Adam Perrin. "The IRB won't reinstate him with his changed name but this is only a bit of fun and, while we do understand the IRB have their rules, this is the team's way of thanking us."
