Rugby World Cup England vs Fiji opener marred by fan train accident

The start of the Rugby World Cup has been marred by a man being struck by a train at Twickenham Railway Station, following the opening game of the tournament. British Transport Police said that he had suffered head and leg injuries as he fell into the path of an oncoming train at 11pm BST on Friday, 18 September.

The incident happened as fans crowded the station following the opening game of the event that saw England beat Fiji by 35 points to 11. The station was evacuated as emergency services treated the man's injuries, which were understood not to be life threatening. London Ambulance said he had been taken to St George's Hospital, in south-west London following the accident and was not thought to be critically ill.

A spokesman for the service said that it was now working "to determine the full circumstances" of the accident. Fans were advised to walk to nearby Richmond station to catch alternative services, as nearby roads were closed to allow fans easier access to the surrounding areas.

The official Rugby World Cup Twitter account said: "Due to an incident at Twickenham Station, please move to the Waterloo Shuttle on the A316 or Hounslow Central Station shuttle at Mogden Lane." Services run by South West trains between Twickenham and London Waterloo were suspended while the man was treated but later returned to normal. Services for today's tournament fixtures are expected to run as normal.

The Rugby World Cup, which is held every four years, was first played in 1987. This year's competition is being hosted by England from 18 September to 31 October, with Twickenham Stadium hosting the final. Other venues that will host matches from the competing teams include Wembley Stadium, the Millennium Stadium, Manchester City Stadium and the Olympic Stadium.