| Date of birth | 4 December 1989 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Place of birth | Auckland, New Zealand | ||
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||
| Weight | 87 kg (13 st 10 lb) | ||
| Rugby union career | |||
| Playing career | |||
| Position | Wing, Fullback. | ||
| Provincial/State sides | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 2008-2010 2011- |
Wellington Otago |
19 10 |
(0) (20) |
Buxton Popoali'i (born 4 December 1989 in Auckland, New Zealand) is a rugby union player who represents Otago in the ITM Cup, playing as a winger and fullback.
Popoali'i overcame heart valve replacement surgery at age 16 to crack the Wellington provincial squad for the 2008 Air New Zealand Cup.[1] He would spend three seasons with Wellington, but appeared in only 19 matches over that stretch, mainly off the bench.
Looking for more playing time, Popoali'i moved to Otago for the 2011 ITM Cup.[2] He quickly established himself as a starter on the wing, and scored his first provincial try in a 32-25 victory over Auckland on 20 July. He finished the season as the province's leading try-scorer with 4, and was the only Otago player to start every match over the year.
Popoali'i is also an accomplished rugby sevens player, and appeared in two sevens tournaments for New Zealand in 2009. He was again on the New Zealand sevens squad in 2011.