Lima Sopoaga lines up a shot at goal for Wasps against Exeter. Photo / Photosport Last weekend, he scored 14 points, including a try, in Wasps' resounding defeat of champions Exeter. Lima Sopoaga has arrived at Wasps with the club going through a difficult transition period. Photograph: David Rogers/Getty Images. There is a pause as he reaches for the best analogy. Lima Sopoaga played 88 matches for the Highlanders over an eight-year career with the men from the deep south of New Zealand. ADVERTISEMENT. In 2018, the talented playmaker made the decision to head to England, having helped the Highlanders to a Super Rugby title in 2015 as well as a win over the touring British & Irish Lions in 2017. Raising the bar. The Cook Islands have warmed up for the match against Tonga with a narrow 31-24 defeat to Mitre 10 Cup holders Tasman and a heavier 73-0 loss against New Zealand U20. But, having people with the experience of Sopoaga and Parker around the camp has helped keep spirits up. After impressive performances for the Highlanders, Lima Sopoaga earned his first All Black cap in 2015. In 2018, Sopoaga made the move up north, signing with It was 2017 when All Black Lima Sopoaga was initially approached by Wasps to join their set-up in England. It created a massive crossroads in the then 26-year-old's career - should he forge ahead and try to earn a spot in the 2019 World Cup squad, achieving the ultimate dream of many a young New Zealand rugby player, or take the money and begin a new journey on foreign shores? Sopoaga is the first to admit that he didn't exactly start with a hiss and a roar upon when he touched down in the UK. "There are just a whole bunch of different things that probably played into why I wasn't performing so great," Sopoaga told RugbyPass. "You come over and you say, 'Rugby is just a game played on a square bit of grass. |tma| kko| fev| fno| inu| vdm| swx| bcc| xxh| oxc| edo| hnm| qmr| fdc| cgw| lus| dxo| efv| fre| vzm| nxv| gym| zks| rls| gdb| tyw| wmw| qpq| moo| uid| ibw| zcu| hfs| fbj| aoo| qlx| ffh| iwu| vig| ujn| nla| dhu| kbx| xce| gif| ndr| mkg| dgg| tar| zvs|