Lima Sopoaga

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Lima Sopoaga
Rugby union career
Full name	Lima Zachariah Sopoaga
Date of birth	(1991-02-03) 3 February 1991
Place of birth	Wellington, New Zealand
Height	1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight	84 kg (13 st 3 lb)
Playing career
Position	First five-eighth
Provincial/State sides
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2010-	Wellington	37	(372)
correct as of 27 October 2013.
Super Rugby
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2011-	Highlanders	16	(84)

correct as of 15 July 2013.
National team(s)
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2011	New Zealand U20	4	(15)
correct as of 4 November 2012.

Lima Sopoaga (born 3 February 1991 in Wellington, New Zealand) is a professional rugby union player who represents Wellington in the ITM Cup and the Highlanders in the Super Rugby competition.

Playing career

Early life

Sopoaga is the oldest among six siblings. His younger brother, Tupou Sopoaga, currently plays for the Cronulla Sharks in the NRL. 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 was selected for the NZ Secondary Schools team.

Provincial Rugby

Aged only 19, Sopoaga was selected to represent Wellington in the 2010 ITM Cup 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.

Super Rugby

Sopoaga followed his former Wellington coach Jamie Joseph 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.

External links

Highlanders Profile

v t e Wellington Lions squad

Forwards	Goodes Schwalger Sione Toomaga-Allen Coles Matu'u E. Smith Filipo Naikatini Reddish Thrush (c) Gaualofa A. Hill Levave Mamea Shields A. Savea Vito

Backs	Palu Perenara Wilson Garden-Bachop Sopoaga Bateman J. Hill Leiua C. Smith Treeby Curtis Fa'atau Proctor J. Savea Ngatai Jane Wells

Coach	Boyd

Squads

v t e Highlanders – 2014 Super Rugby season

Forwards	Josh Bekhuis Shane Christie Liam Coltman Matías Díaz Elliot Dixon Gareth Evans Ma'afu Fia Tom Franklin Kane Hames John Hardie Jarrad Hoeata TJ Ioane Chris King Nasi Manu Brayden Mitchell Brad Thorn Joe Wheeler

Backs	Kurt Baker Phil Burleigh Jason Emery Malakai Fekitoa Patrick Osborne Hayden Parker Buxton Popoali'i Willie Ripia Aaron Smith Ben Smith Lima Sopoaga Winston Stanley Fumiaki Tanaka Shaun Treeby Frae Wilson

Coach	Jamie Joseph

v t e Highlanders – 2013 Super Rugby season

Forwards	Josh Bekhuis Tim Boys Liam Coltman Elliot Dixon Ma'afu Fia John Hardie Jarrad Hoeata Andrew Hore TJ Ioane Chris King Jamie Mackintosh Nasi Manu Brayden Mitchell Bronson Murray Jake Paringatai Jason Rutledge Brad Thorn Mose Tuiali'i Joe Wheeler Tony Woodcock

Backs	Phil Burleigh Tamati Ellison Jason Emery Tony Ensor Hosea Gear Maritino Nemani Ma'a Nonu Hayden Parker Kade Poki Buxton Popoali'i Trent Renata Colin Slade Aaron Smith Ben Smith Lima Sopoaga Fumiaki Tanaka Shaun Treeby Frae Wilson Did not play: Declan O'Donnell

Coach	Jamie Joseph

v t e Highlanders – 2012 Super Rugby season

Forwards	Josh Bekhuis Tim Boys Nick Crosswell Elliot Dixon Jacob Ellison Ma'afu Fia Scott Fuglistaller John Hardie James Haskell Jarrad Hoeata Andrew Hore Chris King Hoani MacDonald Jamie Mackintosh Nasi Manu Brayden Mitchell Bronson Murray Culum Retallick Jason Rutledge Adam Thomson Doug Tietjens

Backs	Kurt Baker Phil Burleigh Jimmy Cowan Mike Delany Tamati Ellison Hosea Gear Kendrick Lynn Chris Noakes Siale Piutau Kade Poki Buxton Popoali'i Colin Slade Aaron Smith Ben Smith Lima Sopoaga Shaun Treeby Did not play: Telusa Veainu

Coach	Jamie Joseph

Persondata
Name	Sopoaga, Lima
Alternative names
Short description	New Zealand rugby union player
Date of birth	3 February 1991
Place of birth	Wellington, New Zealand
Date of death
Place of death

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