Epeli Taione (l) changed his name to Paddy Power

The move is a show of thanks to Irish bookmaker Paddy Power, which is among sponsors the Tongan players sought help from to be able to take part in the tournament.

Centre Epeli Taione raised eyebrows when he adopted the name of the Irish bookmaker earlier this month.

The rugby authorities refused to amend his entry in the tournament guide.

On Friday, the team's senior players will take the field against England with their hair dyed green to highlight the money problems the island nation had in making it to the contest.

"I've had my hair dyed, some of us have... We've had a constant struggle just to get here, to train, to cover our basic needs day by day, accommodation and food," Taione told the Reuters news agency.

He said the support the team received from French crowds had also made the campaign "very special and emotional".