GWENT musicians are starring alongside Game of Thrones actor Charles Dance in a promotional video for the Rugby World Cup 2015.

The video features Charles Dance, best known for playing Tywin Lannister, give a rousing team talk to pitch staff, food sellers, fans and rugby players to mark tickets going on sale today.

Members of the Regimental Band and Corps of Drum of The Royal Welsh, based at Raglan Barracks in Newport, are featured in the video including tuba player Lance Corporal Carl Thomas, 44, a greenkeeper for Newport Council.

Mr Thomas, who has played in the regimental band for ten years, said: “They wanted six people to represent the band, obviously we put our hands up, The Welsh Rugby Union tried to get us involved as we’re the guys that play on the pitch for games.

“It was a long day. It took nine hours to shoot. We were involved in taking different shots, I play the biggest instrument, the tuba, so they thought they’d make that a feature as well as the guys on the drums.

“There was none of the stars there, they were all stand-ins unfortunately. There were a couple of rugby players that I recognised but not Adam Jones or George North, they were there the day before apparently. It was a good day out and a good experience.”

Other band members spotted in the video are Lance Corporal Adam Davies, 26, a self-employed gardener from Ebbw Vale, Fusilier Gareth Beizley, 35, of Newport and musician Cerys Davies, 24, from Ebbw Vale.

They all nod along as Charles Dance says: “There will be pain and there will be blood, but as we turn to one another, we know that each and every one of us will deliver because we’re a team that knows it doesn’t get any bigger than this.”