Several of Tonga's Rugby World Cup players dyed their hair green, in a move they say was intended to thank an Irish online bookmaker for pumping funds into their cash-strapped World Cup preparations.

IRB officials took one look at their locks yesterday and ordered them to head for the showers, saying the green hair was a form of advertising.

By the time the Tongan team prepared in Paris to practice for tomorrow morning's "winner takes all" Pool A match with defending champion England, only a couple of players still had streaks of green in their hair and one other was wearing a black beanie with a strip of tape covering its logo.

And they were angry the IRB was issuing hairdressing orders.

The Tonga / England match kicks off tomorrow at 7am.