'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.
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.
“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.
“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
This cracked media record of aligning success or failure on head coaches is remarkable. Using the crusaders past history as an example, a more sensible observation and analysis could be that the recent head coaches had inherited a extremely successful combination of players linked to their traditional historical support of the Canterbury people. That period ended this year when the new coach was introduced to virtually a new team. And in a year where other franchises have grown much stronger than their respective past, it was always an anticipated reality that the coach and his new crusader team were up against it. Therefore, I humbly believe that unlike some commentators present, I laud coach Penny and the team for their efforts to date and I am sure given another term and with Canterbury behind them they will be riding high once more. Strange all this coming from me who lives in Taupo and a one eyed chiefs supporter. Can't wait for all future chiefs and crusader games!
6 Go to commentsGrt bench player..keep him there..
3 Go to commentsA Springbok 2-0 win: haha told you we were champions now shut up An Irish 2-0 win: the referee was under orders from world rugby to cheat us but luckily we don’t care because this is part of Rassie’s grand world Cup plan.
109 Go to commentsI hope they didn’t pay Jones fee?
2 Go to commentsTo be fair, the teams he's had to put out are reminiscent of those available to Gatland during his horrible run at the Chiefs in late 2020. Anyway, he's only got a two year contract and Wellingtonian Tamati Ellison will be ready by then, as will a lot of talented youngsters (like the Chiefs Gatland blooded). The Crusaders are planning for the long term.
6 Go to commentsGreat to see more community spending leading to higher participation in the community. It's a long road but that's a good first step.
2 Go to commentsPoetic justice for trying to sell him to Australia as another kiwi saviour coach, not ! Deans was just as bad actually but McCaw and Carter covered up for him. That’s why they didn’t want him as All Black coach, even after Graeme Henry’s bumbling effort in 2007.
6 Go to commentsSACK HIM !
6 Go to commentsSafas are so triggered by Ireland. 3 consecutive losses, incl RWC. 8 losses out of last 12 Tests. Always excuses, of course, with Bok fans. Now Rassie with his “88%” nonsense, the Claytons Excuse is an embarrassment to Bok teams of the past when every test mattered. Their fickle mojo will be on edge for the Ireland tour. Have the referees been appointed yet ? They will need security. Have WR laid out strict guidelines for TMO’s and replays on the stadium screens ? Will the constant stoppages from Bok forwards for cramps and bootlaces be tolerated ? We’re not talking a dominant Springbok team here, they won the LOTTO Cup and they know it whether they admit it or not. The Disney doco has their fans positively fermenting internally, its going to be a nasty hangover if they get beaten on home soil. What will the excuses be then……
109 Go to commentsGreat 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.
109 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.
109 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
109 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.
109 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.
109 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.
109 Go to commentsGood on Clarke for taking on the criticism and addressing his deficiencies, principally his laziness.
3 Go to comments