Sopoaga boost for Highlanders
The Highlanders were given a timely boost ahead of their Super Rugby semifinal trip to Sydney on Saturday.
Star flyhalf Lima Sopoaga, who suffered an injury scare at training on Thursday, has passed a fitness test and will wear the No.10 jersey in the encounter with the defending champion Waratahs.
Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph told the media on Friday that Sopoaga is 'good to go' on Saturday.
"He's fine," Joseph told a media scrum.
"He just twisted his knee – it's a wee bit of a one off," Joseph said.
"It was a wee bit of a scare for everybody, but he's fine."
Co-captain Ben Smith spoke to a relieved Sopoaga before the team's media session on Friday.
"He's really excited about the challenge," Smith said.
"I think his body feels fine today and, as Jamie said, it was just a bit of a scare at the time.
"Sometimes, you just get a few things that you think are bad at the time, but give them a couple of hours and they come right and I think, for Lima, that was the case for him."