Lima Sopoaga
Encyclopedia
Lima Sopoaga is a professional rugby union
player who represents Wellington in the ITM Cup and the Highlanders in the Super Rugby competition.
. In his high school days, Sopoaga attended Wellington College
and won four local championships with the 1st XV. He captained the side in 2009.
and made his debut against Manawatu
. He quickly established himself as the squad's starting number 10 with a series of mature performances which belied his age. He finished the season with 88 points in 9 appearances to help Wellington to reach the semi-finals of the competition, where he impressed by scoring 21 points although Wellington fell to eventual champions Canterbury.
south, signing on with the Highlanders for the 2011 Super Rugby season. Expected to back up Colin Slade
, he ended up starting the opening game of the season against the Hurricanes with Slade injured, and responded in fine fashion by scoring a try and kicking two penalties in a 14-9 victory. However, in his second start he suffered a shoulder injury which ruled him out until the late stages of the season.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player who represents Wellington in the ITM Cup and the Highlanders in the Super Rugby competition.
Early Life
Sopoaga is the oldest among six siblings. His younger brother, Tupou Sopoaga, currently plays for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in the Toyota CupToyota Cup
Toyota Cup may refer to:* Copa Toyota Libertadores was the name of Copa Libertadores from 1997-2007 for sponsorship reasons.* Intercontinental Cup , known as Toyota Cup, was a football competition endorsed by UEFA and CONMEBOL....
. In his high school days, Sopoaga attended Wellington College
Wellington College
Wellington College may refer to:*Wellington College, Berkshire, an independent school in Crowthorne, Berkshire, England*Wellington College , Wellington, New Zealand*Wellington College Belfast, a grammar school in Belfast, Northern Ireland...
and won four local championships with the 1st XV. He captained the side in 2009.
Provincial Rugby
Aged only 19, Sopoaga was selected to represent Wellington in the 2010 ITM Cup2010 ITM Cup
The 2010 ITM Cup was the 34th provincial rugby union competition, the fifth since the competition reconstruction in 2006 and the first under the new sponsor of ITM , involving the top 14 provincial unions of New Zealand...
and made his debut against Manawatu
Manawatu Rugby Union
Manawatu Rugby Union is the governing body of the sport of Rugby union in the Manawatu rugby province. The Union is based in the city of Palmerston North but has a catchment area from nearby towns in the province, including Feilding, Rongotea, Linton, Bulls, Pahiatua, Dannevirke and...
. He quickly established himself as the squad's starting number 10 with a series of mature performances which belied his age. He finished the season with 88 points in 9 appearances to help Wellington to reach the semi-finals of the competition, where he impressed by scoring 21 points although Wellington fell to eventual champions Canterbury.
Super Rugby
Sopoaga followed his former Wellington coach Jamie JosephJamie Joseph
James Whitinui Joseph is a former All Black flanker.Joseph's All Blacks career spanned 30 matches including 20 tests from 1992 to 1995 including the 1995 World Cup....
south, signing on with the Highlanders for the 2011 Super Rugby season. Expected to back up Colin Slade
Colin Slade
Colin Slade is a rugby union footballer who represents the Highlanders in the Super 15 competition and Canterbury in the ITM Cup, playing at primarily at Fly Half, as well as all other backline positions on occasions...
, he ended up starting the opening game of the season against the Hurricanes with Slade injured, and responded in fine fashion by scoring a try and kicking two penalties in a 14-9 victory. However, in his second start he suffered a shoulder injury which ruled him out until the late stages of the season.