Why hasn't Lima Sopoaga caught fire in his first season with Wasps?
Big signings always bring big expectations, however unrealistic they can be.
For newly minted Wasps flyhalf Lima Sopoaga, the adjustment into the English Premiership directly after playing a Super Rugby season has been a challenge for the All Black, however, there are growing signs that Sopoaga’s class will translate to Premiership Rugby.
Unfortunately for Sopoaga, he has been caught in the middle of a club in transition, losing key players to rival clubs, rep duties, and a roster-destroying injury crisis.
The most crucial missing cog for Wasps has arguably been the man he replaced, Danny Cipriani, who has been the form flyhalf in the Premiership in recent years.
This has become crystal clear in hindsight, with many of the plays Wasps successfully using last year being rolled out at Gloucester. When Cipriani left he took the playbook with him, one that meshes so well with his own unique skill set it seems it cannot be replicated to the exact specifications.
Cipriani’s direction in attack gave the Wasps runners cohesion as a conductor does with an orchestra. Installing a new conductor has thrown off everyone’s tune, and with a host of frontline starters missing in action, it is no surprise Wasps have struggled.
With Jimmy Gopperth (ACL) and Dan Robson (ankle) suffering injuries, combined with the recent absence of Juan De Jongh (non-selection) and Christian Wade (NFL pursuit), the back line is unrecognizable to the well-oiled machine that performed perfectly orchestrated plays last season.
Valuable role players that provided a spark last year like the experienced Gaby Lovobalavu and Marcus Watson have been after-thoughts, rarely seen at all, while Kyle Eastmond was let go leaving Championship-recruit Michael Bourgeois as the backup to Gopperth.
The lethal connection Cipriani built with star fullback recruit Willie le Roux, who missed the first five games with Springbok duties, has not materialised yet with Sopoaga.
Since returning from international duty, Le Roux has been starved of quality space on the outside this year, instead playing a second receiver role further in-field more often.
His assist tallies have dried up without being able to ball-play on the edge with overlaps created by inside lead-up work, which was usually done by Cipriani. This has caused visible frustration for himself and England flyer Elliot Daly.
These are all important factors in judging Sopoaga’s impact – no player can do it alone. The whole has to be greater than the sum of the parts, which hasn’t been the case.
Wasps need to rebuild a system around Sopoaga’s own skills as a ball-playing artist, which is going to take time. The disruption to the pieces around him this season has only lengthened the time that will take to start gelling.
Sopoaga’s own never-ending season is not helping – from pre-season training in December 2017 with the Highlanders he will play non-stop with Wasps until May 2019, without a break and without the improved sharpness off-season conditioning brings.
This may partly explain why his running game hasn’t been as potent in the Premiership – there has been a noticeable drop off in his ability to shed tackles even in the same calendar year.
During Super Rugby in 2018, he beat a defender every 2.7 runs, with Wasps this rate has dropped to one every 6.8 attempts. His line break rate has gone from one in every 14.5 runs to one in 25.
Whether this is a sign Sopoaga is hitting the inevitable downward trend in his athleticism is yet to be determined, a full off-season break and pre-season training schedule may see a rejuvenated player next season, but he still promises longevity as a flyhalf due to his ball-playing ability.
In his last season with the Highlanders, he lodged 21 line break assists despite his running game slowing.
The attack with Cipriani at the helm was all about the ability to strike from set-piece plays, and Wasps need to re-discover this identity with Sopoaga. Too much of the attack so far has been funneled into the midfield, resulting in carries for centres Michele Campagnaro and Michael Le Bourgeois in search of second and third phase strikes, which often don’t eventuate due to slow ball.
Campagnaro and Le Bourgeoise are handy players but should fill secondary roles to the likes of Sopoaga, Le Roux and Daly when the set-piece platform presents.
The collective strike power of those three alone can conjure up tries from anywhere, as illustrated against Toulouse in the return leg when a simple ‘ID’ screen to Daly, playing centre at the time, resulted in an 80-metre try to Willie le Roux after Daly burned his opposite on the outside.
There are signs that Wasps are starting to lean more towards a ‘sweep’ attack similar to way Cipriani was used last year. At Twickenham against Harlequins they used this ‘halfback slingshot’ play twice to get Sopoaga wider ball with halfback Dan Robson back in the starting line up.
From a 5-man lineout Wasps set a three-man pod at first receiver with Thomas Young (7) in the middle flanked by Le Bourgeoise (12) and Ben Harris (1).
Robson (9) runs a wrap around receiving the ball back from Youngs on the run.
Harlequins interior defence has squeezed down hard on the pod, while Danny Care who was in pursuit of Robson, now has his path roadblocked to his opposite number.
Robson gets to the first defender outside the pod and draws contact while Nizaam Carr (8) runs a hard line giving him a short option, however, Robson delivers out the back.
Harlequins midfielder Francis Saili bites in to cover Carr leaving Joe Marchant as the last defender in the Harlequins front line.
The ball goes out the back to a wider Sopoaga, who has the blind winger Josh Bassett (14) with him and on the inside and his centre Campagnaro on his outside.
Sopoaga trusts his inside winger will be running off his hip and in the low tackle of Marchant, he gets away a ridiculous contortionist-offload to free Bassett.
Bassett streaks away with an opportunity to link outside with Le Roux and Daly for what would be almost a walk-in given their international calibre.
With Harlequins fullback Mike Brown using a bail technique to buy time, Bassett should veer that way before linking with le Roux.
Instead he tries an in-and-away on the covering defender without looking at his outside options where le Roux is screaming for the ball in unison with Daly.
Bassett is tackled inside the 22 and a few phases later Wasps are turned over and Harlequins are able to clear, receiving no reward for some smart play by Robson and Sopoaga.
In the second half they try to use the same play again, but this time without Robson it falls apart.
Reserve halfback Craig Hampson (21) does a great job on the loop around to get on the outside.
With Harlequins outside centre Joe Marchant (13) pushing down outside-in, Sopoaga is skilled enough to try and take a pass under pressure and release his outside.
With Marchant jamming in, it gives Wasps a huge opportunity to isolate Earle (14). However, Hampson decides to try and hit Carr short using a head fake instead.
Francis Saili has eyes for the ball and the loose pass is tipped, falls to ground and the opportunity is lost.
The return of first choice halfback Dan Robson will give Sopoaga’s play a boost. As illustrated on this play design, Robson’s running game can be integrated to allow Sopoaga to attack the wider channels on sweep lines, which will in turn hopefully open up more opportunities for le Roux to do what he does best.
Wasps won’t be ultra competitive in Europe this year having already slumped to the bottom of their pool, but in a tighter Premiership race with more parity, an improved set-piece attack can make a difference. The 20-13 loss to Harlequins was decided by seven points, and on the first slingshot play, Wasps blew a near certain try.
With big money tied up in Sopoaga, Wasps have to trust him to make the big plays and call for more opportunities for him to do so. Until they get their starting pack back with names like Nathan Hughes, Joe Launchbury and Tommy Taylor, a higher percentage of first phase strikes using the star recruits in the backline is a good place to start.
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Comments on RugbyPass
It couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
25 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
25 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
44 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to comments