"Relief" was the word heard over and over again in the Tongan camp after they beat Hong Kong 44-22 at Sunshine Coast Stadium at Kawana Waters on Saturday.
The win meant Tonga had secured its place at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France. The Tongans will join Ireland, Scotland, South Africa and Romania in Pool B next year.
"I'm very emotional inside. I'm trying not to show my emotions but it's a big relief to get the win," Tonga captain Sonatane Takulua said after the match.
When the full-time siren sounded, a sea of red erupted and tears flowed easily.
Even for the Tongan supporters — who have a reputation for being 'extra' — it was on another level because it was not about the World Cup qualification: it was about feeling like winners again.
Tonga lost all three of its previous matches in the Pacific Nations Cup, with its trio of star recruits proving to be fizzers.
Israel Folau is sidelined for months with a hamstring injury after playing only 30 minutes in Fiji.
Malakai Fekitoa went back to his Irish club with a calf concern and Charles Piutau only committed to two Pacific Nations matches, one being Tonga's shocking 30-0 loss to Fiji.
It had begun to feel like a curse on the 'Ikale Tahi.
But all of that was a distant memory as the curtains closed on an entertaining clash with Hong Kong on Saturday night.
Tonga made an aggressive start — perhaps too aggressive — with two tries disallowed in the opening 10 minutes following a knock-on and an obstruction play.
But it did not take long for Takulua to put one on the board that stuck, sniping at the ruck for the first try of the match.
Hong Kong replied immediately and scored its first try through some slick passing that saw hooker Alex Post go over for a five-pointer in the corner.
Takulua continued to lead from the front, quickly scoring his second try in identical fashion to the first.
It looked like the crowd was in for a real game of rugby.
Tonga tightens its grip
There was a bit of drama later in the first half following an exciting sprint from Hong Kong fullback Nate De Thierry that saw play move into the Tongan 22.
In the ensuring passage of play, Tonga hooker Siua Maile illegally tried to slow the ball down at the ruck and was shown a yellow card, leaving his side with 14 players for 10 minutes.
Gregor McNeish kicked a penalty goal, closing the gap on the scoreboard to just nine points.
Despite this, Hong Kong got stuck in a defensive pattern of play and failed to take any advantage out of Tonga being a player down. Hong Kong did not score again in the first half.
At this point, the Tongans were feeling so confident they began making creative decisions, such as 150-kilogram prop Ben Tameifuna throwing in at a line-out, which raised a few eyebrows.
The Tongans came flying out of the blocks in the second half with two tries in the opening 10 minutes.
The first to Takulua iced his hat-trick, then a textbook maul pushed Siegfried Fisi'ihoi over the line. The score was now 30-8.
A scrum secured multiple penalties in the opposing 22 for Tonga, with winger Telusa Veainu finishing off a set-piece move, before fellow winger Anzelo Tuitavuki scored a try after a 65-metre line break down the flank.
This was the last try for Tonga. William Havili nailed his fourth conversion of the match, with the score moving to 44-8.
Havili had also kicked two penalty goals in the first half.
The last 10 minutes of the match were thrilling.
First, Tima Fainga'anuku put a massive hit on Hong Kong captain Josh Hrstich with the kind of tackle Pacific Islanders are feared for.
You could hear the impact from the grandstand and Hrstich was left winded on the ground.
Hong Kong kept fighting, despite knowing the match was gone.
Winger Matthew Worley scored two late converted tries, making the final score 44-22 in favour of Tonga.
Tonga's set-pieces, scrum and maul all displayed an elite level of clinical rugby. The Tongan front and back rows were stunning, simply outclassing Hong Kong.
As the Little Kingdom's diaspora made their way home on Saturday night, all the Aunties, Fa'e, the Tami and the Tamai had big smiles because they knew sleep would come easy that night.
Their boys were winners again.
