KEY POINTS:
So it's farewell to Tonga and with them they take the best wishes of the rugby world.
The Tongans have been the brightest light this tournament has offered. Battling the usual problems - chronic lack of funding and the IRB (a flat track bully if ever there was one) - they have succeeded against the odds.
Their highlight was the defeat of Samoa in Montpellier but they will also take some good memories out of their encounter with England.
The 36-20 scoreline in Paris didn't reflect the contribution made by Tonga.
The Poms won't like this and will refute it but Tonga looked a better rugby side for much of the game. They were disciplined and structured up front and were superb at forcing aggressive turnovers as a consequence of so many of the English forwards hitting contact too high and being robbed by men with greater upper body strength.
Then there was the fact the Tongans also used the ball with more flair and foresight.
Whereas England were reduced to dropping goals for lack of imagination, the Tongans threatened when they kept ball in hand.
The midfield combination of Epili Taione and Sukaniavalu Hufanga ripped through England's powder puff defence three times.
The first clean break led to a marvellous try by Hufanga, who was set free by Taione after the second five-eighths brushed aside Jonny Wilkinson and offloaded in the tackle. Those two were a constant threat against an English duo of Olly Barkley and Matthew Tait who lacked presence on defence.
Tonga were again also superbly served by captain Nili Latu, No 8 Finau Maka and Hale T-Pole.
The confrontational nature of the Tongan midfield and loose forwards rocked England, who needed a fortunate runaway try from Paul Sackey to settle.
Having made such progress at the World Cup, the great hope is that Tonga can find a way to build on their success. The key to their improvement has been the discipline and structure they have found. For years, Tonga have had potential but have been their own worst enemy with their inability to follow a game plan or to even come up with one that suited their personnel.
The introduction of coach Quddus Fielea has been critical in turning around the ship with a simple strategy of using the power and athleticism of the forwards to punch the holes and build momentum.
Tonga brought colour, big hits and the unexpected to this tournament and will be sorely missed.
If the IRB wasn't a flat track bully, they would also have brought green hair.
