When Soane Tonga'uiha says it is destiny that Northampton will reach this season's Heineken Cup final, you are inclined to agree – and not just because a simple raise of the eyebrow from this huge son of the South Pacific might split the ceiling, cartoon-style, of the hospitality box where we meet. Whereas the Saints were knocked out at the quarter-final stage away to Munster in 2010, the Irish must come to them today, albeit Ulster travel to Milton Keynes rather than Franklin's Gardens. The winners are guaranteed a "home" draw in the semi-finals – Northampton would use the same venue – and Tonga'uiha says: "It's a massive plus for us. It's almost like it was destined for us to get to the final."
Northampton won the cup in 2000 but there are no survivors playing today, and they hope the "learning curve" moment everyone in Europe appears to subscribe to was in Limerick 12 months ago. As the 20-stone Tongan-born, New Zealand-raised loosehead prop recalls, they played well but were beaten by age-old tactics. "We got into too many of those one-on-ones off the ball," Tonga'uiha says. "Munster had been around the block and we hadn't. We learnt we need to take it on the chin and move on to the next play. To stay composed and not panic if we're behind or down to 14 men."
Winning their six pool matches against Castres, Edinburgh and Cardiff Blues brought Northampton through as top seeds, although no one in that position has gone on to win the final. In the league they are slightly worse off than last year, when they finished the regular season in second place. Losing six players to international duty, injury or suspension at the turn of the year increased the already heavy burden on the 29-year-old Tonga'uiha and fellow prop Brian Mujati. The Little and Large of Saints' front row have made an extraordinary 51 starts out of a possible 56 in all competitions. In one of the Premiership's dominant scrums, Tonga'uiha has kept on straining those mighty calves and back muscles, and kept on producing those broken-field gallops which, he says modestly, should be the stock in trade of any modern loosehead.
"If we get on top in the set piece everything else flows from that," says Tonga'uiha, warming the hearts of many a prop before him. And many a prop would recognise the personal battle he has overcome. He was eight when his family moved from Tonga to Auckland; he played rugby league, then union from 15 when he went to St Peter's College; the same Catholic school attended by Pat Lam, a talisman for Saints in that 2000 team.
Tonga'uiha was a chubby kid who relied on bulk to see him through. "I was this height and size when I was 16 or 17," he says. "I relied on it too much as opposed to getting fitter and using technique. And I got exposed. Because I was at home and not having to pay any bills I didn't feel the pressure. It was just me being lazy and doing just enough to get by."
He made it as far as a provincial final with Auckland, and a substitute appearance for New Zealand Under-21s in their 2003 World Cup final win in Oxford. But while most of his peers – including Carlos Spencer, Keven Mealamu, Joe Rokocoko and Sam Tuitupou – earned Super Rugby contracts, Tonga'uiha left for a six-month try-out with Bedford. He came back for another year and signed for Northampton in 2006. His wife, Lucy, is from Bedford and they have three children with a fourth due in August.
His memories of Tonga? "Trying to chase my older brothers and neighbours' kids when they were older than me and they'd put their hands on my face and palm me off. I remember crying a few times to my mum about that but it's probably helped me now. The beach was a few seconds away from the house but no one in Tonga goes to the beach. It's too hot."
Things turned sweaty for Tonga'uiha last season over what he calls a "miscommunication" and "misunderstanding" while negotiating a new contract. It led to him shaking hands with Saracens' director of rugby Brendan Venter on a move down the M1. It was formally announced; there was a nice quote about Sarries from Soane. Then the teams played each other and something wasn't right. He had sleepless nights and changed his mind. He admits his new terms at Saints were improved but not, he says, quite what he wanted. Saracens, he notes with a smiling mention of "a voodoo", have won each meeting since.
He will meet Ulster's batch of South Africans recalling that his last but one Test for Tonga was against the Springboks in the 2007 World Cup. It would square a sentimental circle if he resumed in the red jersey when Tonga kick off this year's World Cup against the hosts New Zealand at Eden Park, two miles from his old school.
But sentiment comes second for now. Two months ago he offered to join up in August after the birth of his baby but he has not heard back. "I'm guessing the silence is not a good sign. I'm not going to chase them up about it. They have other good props and I'd see their point if they don't want players joining late." For Tonga'uiha the Tongan New Zealander, Northampton and family come first.
Northampton Saints v Ulster is on Sky Sports 2 today, kick-off 2pm
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