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| Tonga comes to Gloucester as Rugby World Cup spreads fun across Britain | Tonga comes to Gloucester as Rugby World Cup spreads fun across Britain |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| As the children’s training session comes to an end, the boldest of the 13-year-old boys discovers what it feels like to tackle the 18-stone international rugby forward Soane Tonga’uiha. | As the children’s training session comes to an end, the boldest of the 13-year-old boys discovers what it feels like to tackle the 18-stone international rugby forward Soane Tonga’uiha. |
| One by one, his mates join in until the player, a member of the Tongan team helping lead the session, is toppled. The boys lie on top, refusing to let him up. | One by one, his mates join in until the player, a member of the Tongan team helping lead the session, is toppled. The boys lie on top, refusing to let him up. |
| “That’s what it’s all about,” said Stephen Ratcliffe, chairman of Cheltenham rugby club, watching the seething, giggling mass from the sideline. “That sums up the World Cup for me. Great players coming and meeting lads like this. These boys will never forget this day.” | “That’s what it’s all about,” said Stephen Ratcliffe, chairman of Cheltenham rugby club, watching the seething, giggling mass from the sideline. “That sums up the World Cup for me. Great players coming and meeting lads like this. These boys will never forget this day.” |
| The England rugby team will walk out at Twickenham on Friday amid anthem-blaring, chest-thumping fervour to face Tonga’s South Pacific neighbours Fiji in the opening rugby world cup match. | The England rugby team will walk out at Twickenham on Friday amid anthem-blaring, chest-thumping fervour to face Tonga’s South Pacific neighbours Fiji in the opening rugby world cup match. |
| But, with luck, there will be more to this tournament than die-hard fans watching the home nations and favourites such as New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. | But, with luck, there will be more to this tournament than die-hard fans watching the home nations and favourites such as New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. |
| There are signs that Britain may be ready to embrace the likes of lesser teams such as Tonga, Uruguay, Japan and Namibia away from the huge, glittering venues of Twickenham in south west London and Cardiff’s Millennium stadium. | There are signs that Britain may be ready to embrace the likes of lesser teams such as Tonga, Uruguay, Japan and Namibia away from the huge, glittering venues of Twickenham in south west London and Cardiff’s Millennium stadium. |
| This weekend, Tonga’uiha and his mates take on Georgia at the more modest Kingsholm stadium in Gloucester. Later in the tournament, the city plays host to Japan, USA, Argentina and Scotland. | This weekend, Tonga’uiha and his mates take on Georgia at the more modest Kingsholm stadium in Gloucester. Later in the tournament, the city plays host to Japan, USA, Argentina and Scotland. |
| Gloucestershire, where the Tongans have based themselves ahead of the weekend’s game, has been getting used to seeing these Polynesian giants strolling around in their flip-flops and back-to-front baseball caps. The players have been spotted eating (very large amounts) of chicken in Nando’s, shopping in Cheltenham’s elegant Georgian arcades and singing beautifully at a civic reception. | |
| “We’ve had a really good welcome here,” said Aleki Lutui, another Tongan player at the children’s session at Cheltenham. “I think it’s good that this World Cup is taking place all over England, not just in London. We’re looking forward to playing in Gloucester, Exeter, Leicester, Newcastle.” | |
| Inevitably the best-selling items at the Hudson and Co sports shop on Northgate Street in Gloucester are the England and Gloucester shirts. But its manager, Matthew Williams, said they were stocking Tonga shirts, scarves and woolly hats – just in case. | Inevitably the best-selling items at the Hudson and Co sports shop on Northgate Street in Gloucester are the England and Gloucester shirts. But its manager, Matthew Williams, said they were stocking Tonga shirts, scarves and woolly hats – just in case. |
| They had sold a few Tonga shirts, mainly to fans from other South Pacific islands, especially Fijians who work at the Nato base at nearby Innsworth. “I think the islanders are sticking together,” said Williams. | They had sold a few Tonga shirts, mainly to fans from other South Pacific islands, especially Fijians who work at the Nato base at nearby Innsworth. “I think the islanders are sticking together,” said Williams. |
| The Japan shirts have been going down better. “That’s because Gloucester plays in the same colours,” said Williams. “We’re nicknamed the Cherry-and-whites. They’re nicknamed the Cherry Blossoms [or the Brave Blossoms] so there’s a link there.” | The Japan shirts have been going down better. “That’s because Gloucester plays in the same colours,” said Williams. “We’re nicknamed the Cherry-and-whites. They’re nicknamed the Cherry Blossoms [or the Brave Blossoms] so there’s a link there.” |
| It is thought the Georgians will be arriving in force, too, this weekend. Bachi Gabunia, born in Georgia but now living in Scotland, will be at the game with his 12-year-old son, Nikolas. “Rugby is as big as football in Georgia now. I think there’ll be lots of us here,” he said. | It is thought the Georgians will be arriving in force, too, this weekend. Bachi Gabunia, born in Georgia but now living in Scotland, will be at the game with his 12-year-old son, Nikolas. “Rugby is as big as football in Georgia now. I think there’ll be lots of us here,” he said. |
| The Georgia team has been staying down the road in Bristol, which is twinned with Tblisi. The Bristol Tbilisi Association has organised a programme of events to mark the team’s visit to the city, including a charity Georgian wine-tasting evening. | The Georgia team has been staying down the road in Bristol, which is twinned with Tblisi. The Bristol Tbilisi Association has organised a programme of events to mark the team’s visit to the city, including a charity Georgian wine-tasting evening. |
| Related: Chasing the chariot: in search of the soul of English rugby | Related: Chasing the chariot: in search of the soul of English rugby |
| Gloucester is beginning to fill up, not just with fans of the teams playing here, but rugby aficionados of all nations. Poland might not be represented at this World Cup, but members of Polish team RC Posnania are still visiting the city. | Gloucester is beginning to fill up, not just with fans of the teams playing here, but rugby aficionados of all nations. Poland might not be represented at this World Cup, but members of Polish team RC Posnania are still visiting the city. |
| They are going to watch three games in Gloucester, then cross the Severn to watch Wales play Uruguay at the Millennium Stadium. “We’re not here to support anyone in particular,” said Jean Francois Kubas. “We just want to have fun watching rugby in England and Wales.” | They are going to watch three games in Gloucester, then cross the Severn to watch Wales play Uruguay at the Millennium Stadium. “We’re not here to support anyone in particular,” said Jean Francois Kubas. “We just want to have fun watching rugby in England and Wales.” |
| Ireland supporters Willie and Edna Gribben arrived in their camper van. They are going to watch Tonga at Kingsholm before heading to Wembley to see their team play Canada. “We’re enjoying the atmosphere, meeting other rugby people,” said Gribben. | Ireland supporters Willie and Edna Gribben arrived in their camper van. They are going to watch Tonga at Kingsholm before heading to Wembley to see their team play Canada. “We’re enjoying the atmosphere, meeting other rugby people,” said Gribben. |
| “It’s going to be amazing,” said Adam Balding, former Gloucester No8 and now Rugby World Cup coordinator at Gloucestershire county council. “The town is buzzing. It’s full of people of all nationalities having a good time together. That’s the great thing about rugby – no animosity.” At least not off the pitch. | |
| But if there’s going to be a big celebration in Gloucester, there could be an even bigger one in Brighton. “I can’t pretend we’re seen as a rugby hotbed,” said Councillor Alan Robins, whose culture brief includes rugby. “But the place is going to be buzzing.” | But if there’s going to be a big celebration in Gloucester, there could be an even bigger one in Brighton. “I can’t pretend we’re seen as a rugby hotbed,” said Councillor Alan Robins, whose culture brief includes rugby. “But the place is going to be buzzing.” |
| Two games being played at the city’s Amex stadium are completely sold out. Ten thousand people who missed out on tickets will be able to head to a fan zone on the beach. The city will also be alive with African dance, a costume carnival and a theatre event called Pitch Perfect. | Two games being played at the city’s Amex stadium are completely sold out. Ten thousand people who missed out on tickets will be able to head to a fan zone on the beach. The city will also be alive with African dance, a costume carnival and a theatre event called Pitch Perfect. |
| Like Brighton, Milton Keynes does not exactly scream rugby. But civic leaders believe the tournament will help dispel the town’s hoary old image as a place of concrete cows and endless roads. On Friday, its citizens are urged to wear a rugby shirt and celebrate the start of the tournament. | Like Brighton, Milton Keynes does not exactly scream rugby. But civic leaders believe the tournament will help dispel the town’s hoary old image as a place of concrete cows and endless roads. On Friday, its citizens are urged to wear a rugby shirt and celebrate the start of the tournament. |
| Exeter is on the up as a rugby destination, with the city’s team, the Chiefs, playing in the top English league. At first glance, the games might not look like best-sellers – Namibia (5,000/1 outsiders for the tournament) versus Tonga and Italy versus Romania. But try to get a ticket for a match Exeter is hosting and you will likely be disappointed. | |
| Related: Rugby World Cup 2015: Guardian writers’ predictions for the tournament | Related: Rugby World Cup 2015: Guardian writers’ predictions for the tournament |
| Of course, there is money to be made. A study by Ernst & Young concluded the tournament could add £982m to the national GDP, with the tournament prompting almost half a million visits to England and Wales from overseas. | Of course, there is money to be made. A study by Ernst & Young concluded the tournament could add £982m to the national GDP, with the tournament prompting almost half a million visits to England and Wales from overseas. |
| The 11 places hosting games in England and Wales stand to benefit most, but across the country pubs, clubs, town halls, cinemas and even churches are getting on the action by screening games. | The 11 places hosting games in England and Wales stand to benefit most, but across the country pubs, clubs, town halls, cinemas and even churches are getting on the action by screening games. |
| There have been hitches. Some fans with children are angry they will not be allowed to take babes-in-arms to games. Supporters have been urged not to buy tickets from touts following concerns that many hundreds of forgeries may be circulating. | There have been hitches. Some fans with children are angry they will not be allowed to take babes-in-arms to games. Supporters have been urged not to buy tickets from touts following concerns that many hundreds of forgeries may be circulating. |
| But, so far, the problems appear few and far between. At the Kingsholm Inn (“a proper rugby pub” according to the Observer World Cup guide), Mary Bryon has ordered double the normal quantity of beer. “That won’t be enough but it’s all we can fit in our cellar,” she said. “It’s going to be a great few weeks”. | But, so far, the problems appear few and far between. At the Kingsholm Inn (“a proper rugby pub” according to the Observer World Cup guide), Mary Bryon has ordered double the normal quantity of beer. “That won’t be enough but it’s all we can fit in our cellar,” she said. “It’s going to be a great few weeks”. |