Up stepped Kahui, sealing the deal with his second try. There was no hesitation - he took a pass on the touchline, eyed the fullback and went straight for him. A little bit of sharp footwork was enough to leave Vungakoto Lilo sprawling on the turf.
The Tongan gave the impression it was the footwork that did him but he went down so easily that he obviously didn't fancy the look of what was heading his way.
Who could blame him? Kahui on the charge is a handful. He caused multiple issues for the Tongan midfield when he came off his wing and ran straight and hard.
"He was outstanding," said Henry of Kahui. "He has played quite a bit of rugby on the wing for us and played well there and I thought he played very well again last night. He created, he scored tries he was good defensively and he was good under the high ball. He was a threat."
Kahui wasn't quite so effusive in praising himself. Ever the professional, he felt there were issues with some of his defensive positioning and he reckons he was lucky not to have been exposed.
There was also little appetite to bask in his glory.
The praise, he said, belonged to his team-mates who created the space.
He would have been in serious trouble had he not made something of it, he said.
"My game was the result of guys inside me doing a really good job," said Kahui. "With that much space, you should make a fair go of it. I came into this game knowing I had an opportunity. With so many players in the squad competing for opportunities it was a night to put my hand up."
He needn't worry about that. His case for selection has been duly noted - Henry confirming that Kahui will most likely be viewed as a wing rather than centre for the remainder of the tournament.
Typically, Kahui welcomed the news saying that, while his preference is always to wear No 13, he's become used to playing on the wing at test level and is growing more accustomed to it.
While the coaches were keen to stress that the back three remains fiercely competitive with open minds all round as to the best combination, Kahui has the feel of someone too good and too reliable to leave out.
The focus in these next few games will be on Isaia Toeava, who steadily improved as the match against Tonga wore on without ever quite cutting loose.
His handling continues to be a concern at the highest level, although his power and awareness are handy attributes.
His future would depends on a number of factors. If he's given another chance against Japan he'll need to finish with greater precision - he was in the clear after collecting Sonny Bill Williams's excellent kick ahead early in the second half yet didn't make the line.
Even that might not be enough to guarantee a spot. His selection also depends on whether the coaches will stay wedded to their belief Israel Dagg is a fullback only.
He played well enough to make a case to stay in the side at wing with Mils Muliaina restored at fullback.
Or there might be a desire to see if Cory Jane can play on the unfamiliar left wing to provide a bit of creativity and elusiveness to complement Kahui's more powerful game.
