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'It has left a sour taste': Lima Sopoaga hits out at changes in Samoa
Lima Sopoaga doesn’t know if his rekindled Test rugby career will continue in 2024 following the recent sacking of Seilala Mapusua, the Samoa coach for the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Samoan officials told Mapusua earlier this year that he wouldn’t be kept on and the position has since been given to Mahonri Schwalger.
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It’s a development that hasn’t pleased the 33-year-old Sopoaga, the 16-cap former All Blacks player who qualified through his ancestry to play for Samoa following a three-year stand-down period.
Mapusua paid the price for the team winning just one of its four matches at France 2023, beating Chile but losing to Argentina, Japan, and England.
Based in Japan with Shimizu Koto Blue Sharks, who have secured promotion to the second division for next season, Sopoaga, who was player of the match against the English in Lille, has now outlined his dissatisfaction with what has unfolded with the Samoans since the finals.
Aside from the firing of Mapusua, he alluded to other things allegedly going on in the background that had left a sour taste in the mouth ahead of a Test season featuring the newly structured Pacific Nations Cup which will culminate with the tournament’s two final weekends taking place in Japan in September.
Asked by RugbyPass if he would be playing Test rugby later this year, Sopoaga said: “I’m not too sure, to be honest. Obviously, the coach being fired.
“There’s been a few disappointing things happen that people sort of don’t know about behind the scenes that have really angered a lot of the boys from the World Cup and it’s kind of typical of sort of island rugby set-ups, I guess.
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“Things, stories that would have heard in the past still going on in the background so it has left a sour taste in my mouth. I’m not too sure if I can put my hand up and it’s not because I don’t want to, but sort of the powers that be or those running Samoa are sort of rotten to the core and corrupt. We’ll see how it all plays out.
“There has been some ongoing chat, quite a few group chats but like I said there have been a few off-field things that have sort of affected that and it will be interesting to see who puts their hands up now going forward.”
Sopoaga’s current feelings are in sharp contrast to his memories of the World Cup itself. “It was truly humbling and special, things I was able to learn on that tour and connect with was something that I will never, ever forget.
“Although we never got the results we would have liked, I do think Samoa rugby was on a good trajectory after that campaign.
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“It’s not easy playing these tier-one nations with big budgets and things like that but we gave it a good crack and gave it a good shake and we were a bounce of a ball here or a drop goal there away from winning a few important games and going through to a quarter-final, but that’s just the way footy goes.”
Aside from Samoa, Sopoaga, in an exclusive soon-to-be-published interview with RugbyPass, also talked at length about his new life in Japan after five years in Europe, his reflections on his All Blacks career, what he makes of Super Rugby in its current guise, and the steps he is taking for a new career after he finishes up playing.
"A few disappointing things behind the scenes have angered a lot of boys from the World Cup…"
– COMING SOON ON RUGBYPASS: Exclusive Lima Sopoaga interview with Liam Heagney ?? on Samoa, helping @Bluesharks_2020 win Japanese promotion, and much more #RWC2023 @LeagueOne_JP pic.twitter.com/Bnvl7ZIPky
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 16, 2024
Comments on RugbyPass
Great role model.
2 Go to commentsOne significant tell, not a single Waratahs player stopped to whinge to the ref about Finau’s tackle. They got on with playing the game. Great tackle.
8 Go to commentsWouldn’t be a bad move if Ireland pulled into SA with a young side. Particularly in Pretoria. Invaluable experience getting thumped in the bosveld.
54 Go to commentsIreland. The Princess Diana of Rugby. I never cheered so much for a team as i did for the All Blacks in that QF.
54 Go to commentsWill be great to see the Leinster first XV back in action again after their cotton wool time…
1 Go to commentsLooked up Grant Constable on google and reply was doppelgänger for Ben Smith
54 Go to commentsIt is so good that we now all get excited and debate who is best and emotionally get involved. We all back our teams which is great. Up until about 15-20 years ago, NZ was basically on its own, and then Saffa, Aussie and sometimes French and English were there. We now have at least 5-6 really top sides and another 4 who keep improving. This is so healthy. So we should not resort to rubbish comments and unhealthy debate, but rather all be chuffed that the product we watch is not competitive, exciting and often uncertain. It would be so good if World Rugger could find a way to align the rules to professional players as well as spectators. Live rugby games are SO boring as there is SO much down time as we wait for refs and TMOs and whoever else to look at every small event going back endless phases with the hope of eventually find a minute infringement to then decide cancel what was a wonderful try. This is the ultimate cork back in the bottle moment and feels like every balloon is always being popped. Come on- we must be better with the rules.
54 Go to comments“upon leaving said establishment I tripped over a stool knocking some bottles into the air and as I fell I accidently dislodged a police officer’s teaser who was passing by on an unrelated matter there by landing on said taser which caused it to discharge 50,000 watts into me. Out of shock I shouted Ireland are going to win the world cup. Upon waking up I apologised for the distress caused by my Ireland comment. The matter is closed. If you wish to pursue this matter may I remind you what I told Wayne Barnes when he sent me off. I AM A BIG ASS MAN”. Or was it “I AM A BIG ASS, MAN” or was it “I AM A BIG ASSMAN”?
2 Go to commentsThe only championship the Boks hold are: Great value for the incompetence of referees during the RWC Moaning endlessly and champions of spewing utterly ignorant 💩 at all times. Displaying the dangers of a third world education End of.
54 Go to commentsSouth Africa and Rassie do a phenomenal job of treating the 4 years in between World Cups as nothing more than a training exercise to build squad depth. The Six Nations money that keeps Irish rugby afloat is unfortunately too important to allow the same approach, and basic population size means we'll never get close to matching the depth of South Africa, England and France. That being said, Irish rugby is in a relatively good place and slowly improving inch by inch. If the other three provinces can pull the finger out and actually develop some players it'd be even better.
54 Go to commentsGood on Clarke for taking on the criticism and addressing his deficiencies, principally his laziness.
2 Go to comments“It is the people’s favourite against the actual favourite. It is the people’s champions against the actual champions. I’m joking, but it’s going to be a fantastic series.” Why did Darcy make that joke knowing it would be used as click bait? Why did RP headline it as a serious comment? Anyway, the tired comment isn’t very astute. SA players may have played more games etc. Darcy over estimated as a pundit.
54 Go to commentsNot sure Frisch will ever make the French team with Depoortère and Costes waiting in the wings to take over from Danty and Fickou.
1 Go to commentsThe Irish are tired and the Boks are old. The test series won't confirm who is best in the world, it will confirm which team needs to pursue the task of rebuilding with the most urgency.
54 Go to commentsGrant, the first time I have seen an article written by you. Maybe I have missed your previous stuff. These days all professional players effectively play a common season so all top players are equally tired, or rested. That is the job of the coaching ticket to build squad depth and juggle resources so players are ‘ fresh’ when the big games come. Possibly Ireland are less inclined to juggle squad compared to Rassie, who is prepared to take the risk to rest players as well as build depth throughout the year so come WC he has a full squad, experienced and rested enough to win 7 games. After all, to win WC you need to get through the tournament and then win the final big 3 games. Ireland should try and build a bit so come final 3 they are ready. So far only played final 1(QF). I am so looking forward to the Irish tour. Hopefully Rassie has enough time to align his guys, as he draws them from across the globe, and not from 2 sides locally( eg Leinster, Munster). No excuses, going to be exciting.
54 Go to commentsIn football, teams get fined and sometimes docked points for deliberately fielding weakened teams yet Leinster can pretty much do as they please with no comebacks. Could it be because Ireland run the URC? Could it be that Ireland run the ERC? Whichever it is, it stinks!!
6 Go to commentsIreland are only the People’s Champions in Irish eyes. The rest of the world do not care for them very much because of attitudes of people like Gordon, Ferris, Best, Jackman…I could go on!!
54 Go to commentsNot sure how Karl Dickson can ever ref a Quins game, he played for the club for 8 years as understudy to Care and is still close friends with half the team
3 Go to commentsAre bookies taking bets on how many times Vunipola's eventual statement will use the term “elders"? My money is on at least 4 times.
4 Go to commentsSo Ireland will be tired, despite having the most rested test squad in the world. They only play tests, champions cup and urc play off games ffs! Case in point; Leinster sent a B squad to SA for their last two games while their first xv rested up and trained at their leisure for the sf vs Saints at the so called ‘neutral venue’ of Croke Park. So tired? Do me a favour… And as for “people’s champions”? Seriously??? Outside of Ireland they are respected for their ability to win 6N. And of course plenty of inconsequential test friendlies without any real pressure. WC ko games when the pressure is white hot? Not so much…
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