Hundreds of die-hard fans turned out to catch a glimpse of their Kiwis and Samoan idols at their official welcome for the Rugby Leauge World Cup in Auckland this afternoon.
Samoan captain Frank Pritchard with a fan at today's welcome Photo: RNZ
Today's outing was a chance for fans to get up close and personal with both teams ahead of the tournament which starts later this week.
The Kiwis and Samoa were welcomed with a haka and Siva Tau by local school children.
Fans were then treated to a skills session with both teams as well as photo opportunities and signatures.
Kiwis star playmaker Shaun Johnson proved he's a hit both on and off the pitch, the 27-year-old was the star attraction at today's session with most of the fans lining up to get his signature as well as a photo.
New Zealand and Samoa kick off their 2017 Rugby League World Cup campaign against each other at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland on Saturday.
-RNZ
