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due to Slade being injured. He responded in fine fashion by scoring a try and kicking two penalties in a 14–9 victory. However, in his second start of the season he suffered a shoulder injury which ruled him out of the team until the late stages of the season. In 2015 he helped guide the
Highlanders
500:
Sopoaga, excited by the move as reported by Rugby
Southland; "The opportunity came up and it is a good fit to stay in the Highlander franchise and represent the region in the Super 15 and ITM Cup. I’m really starting to feel at home in the south now and proud to be part of the region. The Stags boys
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being used at fullback, Sopoaga carried a far heavier workload for the All Blacks in the 2017 season. Sopoaga replaced
Beauden Barrett in the 59th minute of a 78–0 win over Samoa, converting two tries. Sopoaga also went across for what would have been his first try that match, but it was disallowed
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Sopoaga made an appearance in every All Blacks fixture on the 2017 end-of-season tour, replacing Havili and McKenzie against the
Barbarians and France. Sopoaga earned a mid-week start against a French XV on 14 November 2017 where Sopoaga did not miss a kick at goal. He was replaced by debutant
666:
Sopoaga was re-selected for the All Blacks in the
Steinlager series against Wales in 2016. After Cruden was injured again, Sopoaga made his second test appearance in the third test against Wales on 25 June 2016 which was a 46–6 win at Sopoaga'a home crowd in Dunedin. Sopoaga replaced
699:
attempted to charge down the kick but was controversially red-carded for a late hit on
Sopoaga. The Springboks were further punished by De Allende's mistake because of Sopoaga turning the penalty given into 3 points, the deciding factor in the All Blacks' 25–24 win that day.
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Barrett's continued concussion symptoms saw
Sopoaga named to start for only the second time in his international career, starting against the Wallabies for 2017's third Bledisloe Cup test on 22 October 2017. An attempted pass from Sopoaga to midfielder
469:. His strong performances established himself as the squad's starting number 10. He finished the season with 88 points in 9 appearances to help Wellington to reach the final of the competition, where he scored 21 points despite losing to
683:. Following the win over Samoa, Sopoaga made another 11 appearances for the All Blacks that year. Sopoaga scored his first test try on 16 September 2017 in a 57-0 demolishing of South Africa after replacing man-of-the match
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Concussion to
Barrett saw Sopoaga step up in the second test against South Africa in 2017, replacing Barrett only 33 minutes into the game. Sopoaga scored 7 points that day, converting tries by McKenzie and winger
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off the bench against
Scotland and Wales. Sopoaga's signing announced with the Wasps will likely mean his appearance off the bench against Wales on 25 November 2017 will be his last test for New Zealand.
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in the
Highlanders have nothing but good things to say about the Stags and the Southland province and I’m looking forward to getting to Southland and giving my all for my new team."
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off the bench in the 55th minute, covering inside centre for the rest of the test. Sopoaga made four more appearances in the black jersey in 2016, scoring 10 points that year.
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to their first super rugby title by defeating the 1st place Hurricanes 21–14. Sopoaga scored the most points of any Super Rugby player in 2015, scoring 191 points that season.
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599:. He made his full starting debut the following game week, on 16 September, scoring 18 points (three conversions and four penalties) in a high scoring, 41–35 win over the
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than Sopoaga due to Sopoaga spending two months out injured. Sopoaga scored 54 points in the 2017 season, failing to score any in the quarter-final against the
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off the bench instead of Sopoaga who scored 12 points on debut, guiding the All Blacks to a 27–20 win. Sopoaga narrowly missed out on selection for the
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side on 13 June 2017, contributing eight points to the Highlanders' narrow 23–22 win over the Lions before being replaced by Banks in the 54th minute.
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and won four local championships with the 1st XV. He captained the school's side in 2009 and was selected for the NZ Secondary Schools team.
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in the semi-final. Sopoaga was one of the few Highlanders to shine in the 2016 semi-final, scoring a try and kicking accurately, ending his
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on 11 March 2017 after suffering a hamstring injury when he performed a try-saving tackle on All Blacks team-mate and Blues midfielder
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Sopoaga missed the second test against Argentina in 2017 due to the birth of his first child, a daughter named Milla.
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intercepting to score a try. Sopoaga recovered well to score 8 points but was subbed off in the 60th minute for
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On 15 January 2018, Sopoaga confirmed to be leaving the Highlanders and New Zealand to join top English side
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from the 2018–19 season. Sopoaga made his Wasps debut on 8 September 2018 in a 31–42 defeat to
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Sopoaga was born in Wellington, New Zealand. His family comes from Samoa and the Cook Islands.
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in the 53rd minute. Sopoaga followed up the performance against the French XV by replacing
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On 13 April 2021, Sopoaga would leave Wasps as he will travel to France to join
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857:"Former All Blacks playmaker Lima Sopoaga confirms move to Top 14 club Lyon"
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The Highlanders failed to make the finals in 2016, losing 42–30 against the
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but switched codes and played alongside Lima at the Highlanders for a time.
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territory. Playing for Southland, Lima joins another current Highlander in
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Following the departure of Aaron Cruden to France and the inexperienced
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643:. Sopoaga started the match and was not subbed off, with replacement
612:
525:, he ended up starting the opening game of the season against the
805:"Premiership: Wasps 31-42 Exeter Chiefs as Henry Slade impresses"
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went wrong in the 6th minute of the test, with Wallabies winger
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In late May 2014, Sopoaga announced that he will be joining the
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Sopoaga is the oldest among six siblings. His younger brother,
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on 20 May 2017. The departing Banks scored more points in the
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after he received a forward pass from replacement scrum-half
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Sopoaga was pulled from the field in a 16–12 win over the
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Sopoaga started for the Highlanders against the touring
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New Zealand expatriate rugby union players in England
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for the 2014 and 2015 seasons. The transfer from the
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New Zealand expatriate rugby union players in France
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552:. Sopoaga made his return from injury to replace
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440:In his high school days, Lima Sopoaga attended
96:91 kg (201 lb; 14 st 5 lb)
1530:New Zealand international rugby union players
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509:Sopoaga followed his former Wellington coach
8:
779:"Wasps sign All Black fly-half Lima Sopoaga"
21:
831:"Premiership: Wasps 41-35 Leicester Tigers"
410:at international level after qualifying on
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390:(born 3 February 1991) is a professional
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457:At the age of 19, Sopoaga played for
406:. Born in New Zealand, he represents
7:
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627:After an injury to Chiefs captain
14:
1495:Highlanders (rugby union) players
568:where the Highlanders lost 17–0.
372:Correct as of 28 August 2023
288:Correct as of 28 August 2023
88:1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
1570:Shimizu Koto Blue Sharks players
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1480:New Zealand rugby union players
1500:Wellington rugby union players
489:to the Stags keeps Sopoaga in
1:
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1565:2023 Rugby World Cup players
859:. Rugby Pass. 13 April 2021
513:south, signing on with the
465:, making his debut against
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619:from the 2021-22 season.
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35:Sopoaga representing the
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764:21 October 2016 at the
659:and the versatility of
637:2015 Rugby Championship
635:' 41-man squad for the
573:British and Irish Lions
562:2017 Super Rugby season
539:2016 Super Rugby season
519:2011 Super Rugby season
109:Hutt Valley High School
1525:Barbarian F.C. players
1505:Rugby union fly-halves
1012:Francisco Gómez Kodela
768:. thehighlanders.co.nz
521:. Expected to back up
400:Japan Rugby League One
394:player who plays as a
388:Lima Zachariah Sopoaga
51:Lima Zachariah Sopoaga
1540:Lyon OU Rugby players
974:– current squad
589:Gallagher Premiership
1228:2023 Rugby World Cup
1077:Sébastien Taofifénua
687:in the 53rd minute.
653:2015 Rugby World Cup
623:International career
295:International career
1179:Fabien Gengenbacher
837:. 16 September 2018
706:Sonny Bill Williams
685:Nehe Milner-Skudder
404:Shimizu Blue Sharks
274:Shimizu Blue Sharks
157:Shimizu Blue Sharks
115:Notable relative(s)
25:
1113:Jean-Marc Doussain
1108:Baptiste Couilloud
1047:Guillaume Marchand
811:. 8 September 2018
783:Coventry Telegraph
442:Wellington College
126:Rugby union career
105:Wellington College
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1133:Davit Niniashvili
1072:Romain Taofifénua
925:at ItsRugby.co.uk
887:Premiership Rugby
785:. 15 January 2018
697:Damian de Allende
541:with 186 points.
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119:Tupou Sopoaga
117:
113:
110:
106:
103:
99:
95:
91:
87:
83:
80:, New Zealand
79:
76:
72:
68:(age 33)
58:
56:Date of birth
54:
50:
46:
42:
38:
32:
27:
16:
1442:Head Coach:
1421:
1320:
1158:Lima Sopoaga
1157:
1042:Félix Lambey
1017:Loann Goujon
992:Dylan Cretin
923:Lima Sopoaga
903:Lima Sopoaga
883:Lima Sopoaga
861:. Retrieved
851:
841:16 September
839:. Retrieved
834:
825:
815:16 September
813:. Retrieved
808:
799:
787:. Retrieved
782:
773:
759:Lima Sopoaga
736:
718:
714:David Havili
702:
689:
673:
665:
629:Aaron Cruden
626:
610:
582:
570:
550:George Moala
543:
532:
511:Jamie Joseph
508:
499:
495:Elliot Dixon
480:
463:2010 ITM Cup
456:
439:
424:
421:
387:
386:
383:
315:
310:
305:
300:
183:
178:
173:
168:
152:Current team
151:
135:
23:Lima Sopoaga
18:Rugby player
15:
1465:1991 births
1392:Leali'ifano
1253:Alainu'uese
1222:Samoa squad
1123:Monty Ioane
1098:Toby Arnold
789:23 February
710:Reece Hodge
693:Rieko Ioane
681:TJ Perenara
669:Ryan Crotty
661:Colin Slade
649:Israel Dagg
554:Marty Banks
523:Colin Slade
515:Highlanders
505:Highlanders
491:Highlanders
448:Club career
392:rugby union
342:New Zealand
210:Highlanders
136:Position(s)
41:Super Rugby
37:Highlanders
1459:Categories
1427:Taumateine
1103:Léo Berdeu
1057:Jérôme Rey
1037:Joel Kpoku
741:References
657:Dan Carter
647:replacing
633:All Blacks
597:Dan Robson
527:Hurricanes
471:Canterbury
459:Wellington
453:Wellington
418:Early life
194:Wellington
78:Wellington
62:1991-02-03
1308:McFarland
1268:Faiʻilagi
1258:Alo-Emile
1243:Alaalatoa
907:ESPNscrum
835:BBC Sport
809:BBC Sport
566:Crusaders
477:Southland
338:2015–2017
254:2021–2023
238:2018–2021
226:Southland
222:2014–2017
206:2011–2018
190:2010–2013
121:(brother)
48:Full name
1412:Paia'aua
1273:Faumuina
1263:Fa'aso'o
1236:Forwards
980:Forwards
762:Archived
517:for the
467:Manawatu
396:fly-half
316:(Points)
184:(Points)
141:Fly-half
1422:Sopoaga
1417:Seuteni
1407:Matavao
1367:Ah Wong
1288:Jo. Lay
1283:Ja. Lay
615:outfit
587:in the
461:in the
433:in the
39:during
1397:Leuila
1387:B. Lam
1336:Taufua
1313:Motuga
1303:Malolo
1298:Luatua
1278:S. Lam
863:19 May
613:Top 14
384:
145:Centre
101:School
93:Weight
85:Height
1432:Toala
1382:Fomai
1377:Fidow
1372:Enari
1360:Backs
1341:Tolai
1331:Slade
1318:Niuia
1172:Coach
1091:Backs
585:Wasps
579:Wasps
546:Blues
535:Lions
408:Samoa
402:club
358:Samoa
354:2023–
301:Years
270:2023–
265:(147)
249:(287)
242:Wasps
233:(187)
217:(853)
201:(370)
169:Years
1402:Manu
971:Lyon
865:2021
843:2018
817:2018
791:2018
617:Lyon
607:Lyon
398:for
349:(55)
333:(15)
322:2011
311:Apps
306:Team
258:Lyon
179:Apps
174:Team
1346:Vui
1326:Seu
1293:Lee
905:at
885:at
435:NRL
365:(8)
281:(0)
1461::
1225:–
833:.
807:.
781:.
749:^
603:.
497:.
473:.
414:.
346:16
262:29
246:53
230:17
214:88
198:37
143:,
64:)
1352:)
1350:c
1348:(
1249:)
1247:c
1245:(
1213:e
1206:t
1199:v
962:e
955:t
948:v
867:.
845:.
819:.
793:.
362:1
330:4
278:0
60:(
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