The end is near
THE reality that his New Zealand rugby career could be over in just four weeks has crept up on departing Highlander Lima Sopoaga.
The number 10 and his teammates are refreshed and recharged after the Super Rugby break and ready to take on the French Barbarians in Invercargill on Friday.
The match could be the fourthtolast time in his illustrious career that Sopoaga runs out for a New Zealand rugby side.
That number will be extended if the Highlanders qualify for the Super Rugby finals ahead of his departure to English club side Wasps.
It could grow exponentially if things do not work out for him in the northern hemisphere.
Barring that, Sopoaga has a maximum of six starts left in Highlanders colours, and he admits the thought that he will soon move on has sneakd up on him during the Super Rugby break.
‘‘It is starting to creep up on me and I guess the nostalgia of it all,’’ he said.
‘‘I didn’t think it was going to creep up on me this fast, but it is and it is sad to think about leaving, but it has been awesome this year and hopefully we can finish on a high.’’
Sopoaga recharged and prepared for his final Super Rugby starts by enjoying the province that became his adopted home when he signed with the Highlanders in 2011.
‘‘I love [Dunedin]. I am going to miss this place. It has been pretty special and I have made some great mates and have some awesome memories here.
‘‘We went down to Wanaka and stayed at Ben Smith’s mansion.’’
Sopoaga is an outside hope of breaking Tony Brown’s franchise record of 857 points in a Super Rugby season before he leaves.
To get close, realistically he needs the team to go deep into the playoffs and to be an extremely high point scorer in those matches.
‘‘If it happens, it happens, but 50 points is a lot of points to conjure up in the few games we have left.’’
Any points Sopoaga accrues on Friday in Invercargill, when he faces an international team in Highlanders’ colours for the second time, will not count towards the record.
The European style of rugby the French Barbarians will bring to the match will give the first fiveeighth a taste ahead of his departure to the northern hemisphere.
‘‘You are used to playing Super Rugby sides all the time, but you get to test your mettle against a side from the northern hemisphere.
‘‘It is just different because you are playing a totally different side that you have never played before.
‘‘They have different styles of rugby and different athletes. It’s an enjoyable experience.’’