Sopoaga shuts down Wasps exit
TRANSFER NEWS: Wasps flyhalf Lima Sopoaga has responded to reports that he’s leaving Wasps at the end of the season.
It was reported over the weekend that the former All Blacks playmaker was leaving the Coventry based outfit, having decided not to take up the option of an extra year at the club.
Sopoaga took to Twitter to dispell the rumours in a typically humourous fashion.
“If everything rumoured about me were true, I’d be in five different places in the world at once, 7 foot tall and playing for the Lakers… ok the last two aren’t rumours, just my dreams.”
“I’m not going anywhere. If you wanna find me, I’ll be chasing my 2 year old on her scooter around Leamington.”
🤙🏾🤙🏾🤙🏾 pic.twitter.com/nHuUdhEPya
— Lima Sopoaga (@LimaSopoaga) December 2, 2019
On the weekend Jacob Umaga, who also signed a new first-team contract this week, started at fly-half ahead of Sopoaga after last weekend’s man-of-the-match performance in a European win over Agen. It was a selection that fuelled rumours of an exit by the former Highlanders pivot.
The future holds big things for you USO. https://t.co/0ZFI6zFPJV
— Lima Sopoaga (@LimaSopoaga) November 26, 2019
The 28-year-old has 16 caps and has scored 55 test points since making his All Blacks debut against South Africa in July 2015.
In the same year, Sopoaga helped guide the Highlanders to their first Super Rugby title, and made over 74 appearances for the Dunedin-based franchise since his 2011 debut.
The exciting No.10 claimed the Highlanders’ seasonal points-scoring record in 2015 when he amassed 191, and is also second-ranked in the franchise’s history for most career points with 701.
Sopoaga also represented Southland in New Zealand’s Provincial Rugby Championship. He joined them from Wellington in 2014 after scoring all his native province’s points in their 2013 final defeat by Canterbury.
Sopoaga was part of New Zealand’s U20 side that retained the junior IRB World Championship title in 2011, where he appeared alongside back-rower Brad Shields, with whom he will be reunited at Wasps next season.
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