Kenneth Middlebrough of Edmonton, Alberta, described his discovery of rugby as a "complete accident".
"One of the gym teachers came in one day and said they needed people for rugby. I thought what the heck, I'll try it, and have loved it ever since."
His love of rugby has extended to a trip halfway around the world to support his beloved Maple Leafs.
After visiting Whangarei, Mr Middlebrough will follow the Canadian team to Napier and Wellington.
Before Tufui Kama and her family joined the Tongan convoy north from Mt Wellington early yesterday morning they stopped at a $2 store.
Dragon Ball Z-like wigs and facepaint were soon matched to their specially bought Tonga jerseys and flags: "We just grabbed anything red off the shelf".
Mrs Kama said there was "no way" they would miss the match against Canada after being in Tonga for an unveiling of a headstone for Mrs Kama's grandmother during last Friday's opening match.
She said although nothing matched the "crazy" Tongan support in Auckland, Nuku'alofa had caught its own World Cup fever. "Everyone was wearing red - even babies wearing red, the pram was painted red, the fences, the windows, the curtains."
The family took their car but other Tongans took advantage of free bus rides laid on by community groups.
Gesturing to a 100m line of Tongans waiting to get into the ground behind them, Mrs Kama said the occasion also served as a reunion of sorts.
"We know a lot of these people here - Tonga's a small world you see - so we recognise a lot of people here that we haven't seen in years. It's family."
- Nicholas Jones
49 SAMOA 12 NAMIBIA
Their team may not have won on the scoreboard, but Namibian fans at the match yesterday say the players came up trumps.
Delwyn and Tony Bovill flew from Australia with a small group of friends to back the Namibian team, which took on Manu Samoa at Rotorua International Stadium yesterday afternoon.
The couple had painted their faces and decked themselves head to toe in support of Namibia.
Mrs Bovill said they had been following the team since 2003 and were staunch supporters.
"We just wanted to support the underdogs. And we've enjoyed it so much. We wanted to learn about a different country and we have."
Yesterday's match - the Samoans won easily - was a somewhat expected outcome, they said.
"We were so happy with that 12 points," Mrs Bovill said.
The group's eldest member, 86-year-old Alice Killeen, who had less face-paint than the others, said she too was satisfied with the performance.
Other Namibian supporters, Mandy Morkel and Veruschka Drotsky, also travelled to New Zealand for the tournament and will attend all of the team's games.
Mrs Morkel's husband is the team doctor for Namibia and both women had on white cowboy hats with glittery letters shining: "Namibia".
Meanwhile, a group of 10 church youth friends carpooled from Auckland to get to the game in support of fellow church members and Manu Samoa brothers Tusi and George Pisi.
The pair grew up in West Auckland and attend church in Henderson.
Friend Pauline Toleafoa said: "We came to support our brothers and it's pretty emotional. It's their first game of the tournament and it's pretty buzzy to be at a Rugby World Cup match. They've come so far."
Another member, Pili Tato, said it was a special day not only for the two brothers but their families, church and Samoan community.
"We're not here just to support the Pisi brothers, but to support the whole of the Manu Samoa."
Looking around him, where a sea of blue and red flags waved, he said: "The support is overwhelming and Manu mania has definitely hit the shores of New Zealand. I'm blue through and through and proud to be Samoan."
- Vaimoana Tapaleao
15 SCOTLAND 6 GEORGIA
Like something out of the film Braveheart, a tartan army poured through the heart of normally sedate Invercargill last night.
On a cold, gloomy Southland day, the sound of bagpipes filled the air as the kilted mass of Scottish supporters wound its way to what they hoped would be victory.
Local promoter Gerry Forde - painted in blue, bare chested and carrying a mock sword in his best William Wallace impression - took it upon himself to lead the dozens of visiting Scots to the match against Georgia.
Visitors Frank and Lorna Lynch, and daughter Claire, 26, said they felt at home in the city with strong Scottish roots.
"Lots of people that we have spoken to have come up and said 'we are supporting you tonight'," said Mrs Lynch.
"Everybody's been so friendly, and made us feel so welcome."
Even the bone-chilling weather had been "a bit like home".
A silver fern badge gifted by a New Zealander at the last World Cup is pinned to Mrs Lynch's Scottish woollen hat. "So that's my second team."
Scottish visitors Duncan Bell, 24, Chris Miller, 23, and Ewan Ross, 26, met up at an Invercargill hostel and planned to enjoy their time in New Zealand regardless of what happened on the field. "Put it this way: we'll either be drowning our sorrows or celebrating a victory'," Mr Ross said.
"It's all about the atmosphere and doing a bit of travelling around New Zealand as well."
Scotsman David Mould, 35, who has lived with his Kiwi wife Kirsten in Wellington since 2004, has taken three weeks off work to support his home nation. He said the mixing with fans of other cup nations had been good-spirited.
"Everybody's just getting into the party atmosphere. With [the cup] being so far away, the people travelling over here are probably slightly older with a bit more money."
While Scottish supporters were everywhere in Invercargill yesterday, Georgian supporters were hard to find.
Perth couple Mike Horton and Fiona Morrison, done up in the Georgian red and white, were among the few.
The pair started supporting the Georgians when they played in Australia in the 2003 Rugby World Cup.
"When the opportunity came for us to come and support the Georgians again in 2011, we planned a trip. We know the music, we have the facepaint, we have the passion," Ms Morrison said.
- Jarrod Booker
