If there was a moment that gripped the 12,674-strong crowd at The Halliwell Jones Stadium in Warrington, England on Sunday – it was the Toa Samoa’s Siva Tau and Mate Ma’a Tonga’s Sipi Tau.

The distinctive cries from the war dances of the two neighbouring Polynesian nations, widely regarded as one of modern day sport’s fierce rivalries, reverberated throughout the four corners of the stadium and into the homes of millions of rugby league fans in England and around the planet.

The war dances set the platform for both teams and they did not disappoint in the Rugby League World Cup (RLWC) quarter-final match, putting on a bruising contest packed with athleticism, power and superb ball-handling skills. Ultimately, it was Toa Samoa’s steel-like defence that was the difference between the two sides, seeing the Samoans prevail over our Tongan brothers.

The 20-18 victory over Mate Ma’a Tonga was historical as it was the first time for Toa Samoa to progress to the semi-final match of a RLWC. Sealing that victory in the year marking Samoa’s 60th Independence anniversary makes it even more special for Samoans everywhere.

Congratulations. We commend the Toa Samoa players, their coach Matt Parish and the team management for the team’s pulsating performances over the past four weeks. The fact that the team made it this far is already an achievement in itself and we join compatriots on and off-island in celebrating the team’s victory.

Mr. Parish, in an interview with BBC Sport, credited the team’s defence for their success in holding off the Tongans until the dying seconds of the match.

"There wasn't much between either team. It was just tenacious defence at the end. Tonga threw everything at us.

"I said to the players they had the chance to make history at half-time and reach the semi-finals for the first time. But I didn't say much. 

"They knew what to do. Our full-back Joey [Joseph Suaali'i] at 19, to play like that... You talk about bruising encounter, it was a sensational game.

"I haven't thought about the semi-final yet. I will enjoy this and think about it tomorrow. To have the support around Tonga and Samoa and Australia and New Zealand here in England is absolutely sensational. I hope we can go to the final."

While the battle may have been won, the war is far from over and this Saturday Toa Samoa will need to overcome their demons, when they meet the team that was responsible for their 60-6 defeat in the RLWC opener last month. 

England will be their toughest opponent yet and are currently in good form, as they’ve so far been undefeated in the tournament to top their group, and easily accounted for Papua New Guinea (PNG) Kumuls 46-6 last Saturday in a lopsided quarter-final match.

But every new day in a rugby league competition brings with it new hope and a fresh start to turn the tables on the code’s more fancied teams – just like what Mate Ma’a Tonga did five years ago at the 2017 RLWC, and when within a whisker in the last 7 minutes of the semi-final match to steal an unlikeliest of victories. The score in that semi-final match? 18-20 in favour of England.

Nonetheless, everywhere compatriots are celebrating and continue to celebrate this historical victory. May we also take this opportunity to urge supporters to celebrate in moderation with respect to others who live within the community that we live in.

Take note of the public notice from Samoa’s Ministry of Police Prisons and Corrections Services that was issued last Friday, which advised that any plans to hold public parades in support of Toa Samoa have to apply for permits from the Ministry.

While there have been social media criticisms of this public notice from the Ministry, claiming that it is in breach of freedom of expression, we understand why the Police felt compelled to act following last week’s incident in Melbourne, Australia. 

A 17-year-old girl had to be hospitalised after she fell from a vehicle that was part of a Toa Samoa vehicle parade that was celebrating the team’s victory over Greece last Monday. Melbourne police arrested two men in connection with the incident.

No one is stopping you from celebrating the historic victory of the Toa Samoa or the Manu Samoa or any Samoan sporting team for that matter, but let’s just do it with respect for others and with safety in mind for our aiga (family) and other members of the community that we live in.