Lima Sopoaga a good fit for Wasps, says Dai Young
Monday 15 January 2018 12:17, UK
Wasps director of rugby Dai Young says the club "jumped at the chance" to sign Lima Sopoaga from the Highlanders.
The All Blacks fly-half will join Wasps for the 2018/19 season after finishing his commitments with the Super Rugby side.
The move effectively rules the 26-year-old, who has 16 caps for the All Blacks, out of selection for the 2019 World Cup.
"When a world-class fly half became available we jumped at the chance, as that doesn't happen very often," Young told Wasps' official website.
"Lima's track record with the All Blacks, Highlanders and Southland speaks for itself, and we believe he will be an extremely good fit both in our side and within the club.
"A big part of my job is to continually find ways to move things forward, both by developing our current players and when the opportunity arises adding to the squad, and I am confident this signing does this."
Sopoaga has made 74 appearances for the Highlanders since his 2011 debut, and helped the side to their first Super Rugby title in 2015.
He was also in the New Zealand U20 side that retained the junior IRB World Championship title in 2011, alongside current Wasps back row Brad Shields.
Sopoaga also represents Southland in New Zealand's Provincial Rugby Championship.
