Special moment as brothers unite
Lima Sopoaga has notched up some special milestones in recent years.
A Super Rugby title, the 2015 Super Rugby player of the year gong, and an All Blacks debut – they are all significant moments.
Tomorrow night’s occasion at Rugby Park in Invercargill won’t create the same sort fanfare, but don’t be mistaken, there is a fair level of excitement brewing for Sopoaga.
The first five-eighth has been released from the All Blacks to play for Southland against Auckland and will start at fullback in the round three game.
His younger brother Ezekiel has been named on the bench as the brothers prepare to play in the same team together.
While Wellington is home for the two brothers after growing up in the capital, it will be in the maroon jersey of Southland that they get to play their first top-flight provincial game together.
‘‘It’s a funny old thing how rugby works these days. I guess you just come down here for an opportunity, obviously I made the move first and then Zek sort of followed,’’ Lima said.
‘‘I’m pretty proud of him and he’s got some good mentors with Brayden Mitchell, and the coaching staff are pretty good. So he’s a young hooker trying to figure it all out and I think he’s going alright.’’
It will be the first time they have lined up together since Ezekiel joined the Wellington College first XV in year 11 in 2009 while Lima was in his final year at school.
‘‘If he gets the opportunity to come off the bench, hopefully it will be a good night for us and for Rugby Southland,’’ Lima said.
Ezekiel agreed it would be a moment to cherish to play alongside his older brother.
There are six siblings in the family with Lima the oldest and Ezekiel in the middle.
‘‘It’s not every day you get to play alongside your brother, especially being a few years apart,’’ Ezekiel said.
For Lima, tomorrow’s game will be a chance to pull on the boots again in a game situation after he has spent plenty of time on the training paddock with the All Blacks in recent weeks.
He did play for the All Blacks in their training matches against Counties and Northland, but his last proper fixture was for the Highlanders in their Super Rugby semifinal loss to the Lions.
‘‘It’s cool to come down here and have a run around with the young boys and some fun,’’ he said about the prospect of playing provincial rugby again.
Sopoaga arrived in Invercargill on Tuesday and he has had just one full team training with the Stags yesterday to quickly adjust to the Southland systems.
‘‘It is just rugby at the end of the day. Apart from set piece you just grab the ball and try run as hard as you can and try not get tackled and try score some tries I guess, and if you have to kick some goals, kick some goals I suppose.’’