Lima Sopoaga facts for kids
Sopoaga representing the Highlanders during Super Rugby
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| Full name | Lima Zachariah Sopoaga | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 3 February 1991 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Wellington, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 91 kg (201 lb; 14 st 5 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Wellington College Hutt Valley High School |
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| Notable relative(s) | Tupou Sopoaga (brother) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Lima Zachariah Sopoaga (born 3 February 1991) is a professional rugby union player. He plays as a fly-half for the Japan Rugby League One team Shimizu Blue Sharks. Lima was born in New Zealand. He now plays for the Samoa international team. He qualifies to play for Samoa because of his family background.
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Early Life and High School Rugby
Lima Sopoaga was born in Wellington, New Zealand. His family has roots in both Samoa and the Cook Islands. He is the oldest of six children. His younger brother, Tupou Sopoaga, also played rugby. They even played together for the Highlanders team for a while.
Lima went to Wellington College for high school. He was a very talented rugby player. His school team, the 1st XV, won four local championships. In 2009, Lima was the captain of his school team. He was also chosen to play for the New Zealand Secondary Schools team.
Club Career Highlights
Lima Sopoaga has played for several rugby clubs around the world. He started his professional career in New Zealand. Later, he moved to play in England and France.
Starting with Wellington
Lima began his professional career at just 19 years old. He joined the Wellington team in 2010. In his first season, he quickly became the main number 10 player. He scored 88 points in 9 games. He helped Wellington reach the final of the competition. Even though they lost, Lima scored 21 points in that final game.
Moving to Southland
In 2014, Lima decided to join the Southland Stags team. This move allowed him to stay in the Highlanders area. He was excited to play for Southland. He felt at home in the southern part of New Zealand.
Success with the Highlanders
Lima joined the Highlanders for the 2011 Super Rugby season. He quickly became an important player for the team. In 2015, he helped lead the Highlanders to win their first-ever Super Rugby title. They beat the Hurricanes 21–14 in the final. Lima was the top points scorer in Super Rugby that year, with 191 points.
In 2016, the Highlanders reached the semi-finals. Lima continued to play well, scoring 186 points. In 2017, he faced some challenges. He got a hamstring injury in March. This kept him out of the game for two months. He returned to play later in the season. Lima also played against the famous British and Irish Lions team in 2017. The Highlanders won that close game 23–22.
Playing in England with Wasps
In 2018, Lima announced he would leave New Zealand. He joined the English club Wasps for the 2018–19 season. He made his debut for Wasps in September 2018. In his first start, he scored 18 points. This helped Wasps win a high-scoring game against Leicester Tigers.
Time in France with Lyon
In 2021, Lima moved again, this time to France. He joined the Top 14 team Lyon for the 2021-22 season.
Current Club: Shimizu Blue Sharks
Lima now plays for the Shimizu Blue Sharks in Japan.
International Career
Lima Sopoaga has played for two different international teams. He first played for New Zealand, his birth country. Later, he switched to play for Samoa, representing his family's heritage.
Playing for the All Blacks (New Zealand)
Lima's strong performances in Super Rugby earned him a spot in the All Blacks squad in 2015. He made his international debut on 25 July 2015, against South Africa. He scored 12 points in that game, helping the All Blacks win 27–20. Even though he played well, he just missed out on being selected for the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
He was called back to the All Blacks in 2016. He played several games that year, scoring 10 points. In 2017, Lima had a bigger role for the All Blacks. He scored his first international try on 16 September 2017, against South Africa. The All Blacks won that game 57-0.
In a close game against South Africa in 2017, Lima came on as a substitute. He scored 7 points, including a penalty kick that decided the game. The All Blacks won 25–24. Lima also started his second international game against Australia in October 2017. He scored 8 points in that match.
Lima played in several more games for the All Blacks in 2017. His last game for New Zealand was likely in November 2017. This was because he had signed to play for Wasps in England. Players who play overseas usually cannot play for the All Blacks.
Representing Samoa
In 2023, Lima Sopoaga began playing for the Samoa international team. This allowed him to represent his family's heritage on the international stage.
Personal Life
Lima Sopoaga is a family man. In 2017, he missed a game against Argentina. This was because his first child, a daughter named Milla, was born.
Images for kids
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Sopoaga representing the Highlanders during Super Rugby
See also
In Spanish: Lima Sopoaga para niños
