Tonga’s national rugby league team received an extraordinary homecoming welcome in Vaini, where supporters brought a police-escorted convoy to a halt after a van was parked in the middle of the road, with its driver and keys nowhere to be found.
The incident, captured on camera in footage seen by Kaniva News, unfolded as police escorted the returning players from Fuaʻamotu International Airport following the end of Tonga’s Rugby League World Cup campaign.
The roadblock was reportedly intentional, allowing supporters to spend more time with their sporting heroes while police attempted to remove the vehicle.
Footage showed crowds dressed in Tonga’s national colours of red and white, waving flags and celebrating alongside police vehicles.
The incident appeared to live up to the town’s colourful nickname, “Vaini Vale”, literally meaning “Crazy Vaini”, a name coined in recognition of its residents’ unconventional, exuberant and sometimes mischievous behaviour.
International support
The Vainī homecoming was one of several stops along Taufaʻāhau Road from Fuaʻamotu, including Veitongo and Havelu, where players paused to greet cheering supporters and briefly mingle with residents before continuing to Nukuʻalofa.
The celebrations followed weeks of passionate displays of support for Tonga National Rugby League XIII, uniting Tongan communities across the globe.
In New Zealand and Australia, supporters organised vehicle convoys, flag parades and community gatherings throughout the tournament.
Similar celebrations took place in Portland, Utah and Hawaii in the United States, where members of the Tongan diaspora rallied behind the team.
In Tonga, the festivities extended beyond Tongatapu. In Vavaʻu, social media influencer Siaki Lonitenisi organised a colourful bicycle parade involving children and adults, while supporters in ʻEua staged their own red-and-white procession.
World Cup dream ends
Tonga’s hopes of reaching the World Cup final ended on Saturday, November 7, following a 34–10 semi-final defeat to the New Zealand Kiwis.
Despite the disappointment, fans took to social media to express their pride in the team, with messages such as “Go Mate Maʻa Tonga! Win or lose, we still support you!”
The scenes in Vaini reflected that enduring loyalty, as Tonga’s players returned home to a welcome more commonly associated with champions.
