Tongans tuned in to decider

Tongans will be able to watch their national team's decisive World Cup clash with England, in Paris on Friday, live on free-to-air television.

Television Tonga will televise the match live to residents of the main island Tongatapu and parts of the outlying island of Eua early on Saturday (Tongan time), the network said.

This has been made possible in part by a huge contribution from China's ambassador to Tonga.

Broadcasting rights to the World Cup in France are held by the pay television company Sky Pacific, and Tonga's previous matches - including their famous 19-15 win over Pacific rivals Samoa - were seen live by only a small number of people.

Some fans were able to see the Samoa match at hotels, which provide Sky television, but most Tongans listened to live radio broadcasts of the game.

When it became clear Tonga's match with England - to be played at 21.00 (French time) on Friday, 08.00 Saturday morning Tongan time - would decide which team advances to the quarter-finals, Television Tonga launched a fundraising effort to buy broadcasting rights to the match.

China's ambassador to Tonga, Hu Yeshun, contributed $1,000 Tongan dollars (US$480) to the appeal and Tongans living overseas made contributions which allowed the network to reach its fundraising target.

Katalina Tohi, manager of Television Tonga, confirmed on Friday that rights had been secured and the match would be shown live at 08.00 Tongan time Saturday.

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