Morgan Harlow
Lima Sopoaga takes the ball up against Bath, but has struggled to make an impact for Wasps, according to English rugby critic Stuart Barnes.
A former England rugby international has described ex-All Black Lima Sopoaga's signing as "a clumsy mistake" by struggling English premiership club Wasps.
Sopoaga signed for Wasps in 2017 after 18 caps for the All Blacks on a two-year deal reportedly worth worth up to £600,000 ($NZ1.1 million) per season.
He was hired to replace sometime England test pivot Danny Cipriani, who had been instrumental in guiding Wasps to the 2017 premiership final as part of an "all star" backline boasting Springbok fullback Willie le Roux, England utility Elliot Daly and former Hurricanes player Jimmy Gopperth.
But Sopoaga has struggled to make an impact at Wasps and has lost his place as the starting first five-eighth to Jacob Umaga, the English-born nephew of former All Blacks captain Tana Umaga.
Matthew Lewis
London Irish's Ben Loader attempts to fend Lima Sopaga from Wasps.
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Sopoaga, 28, was not in Wasps' matchday squad for their 35-31 home defeat to Chris Boyd's 13-man Northampton Saints, with Umaga in the No 10 jumper and Gopperth, 36, providing cover of the bench.
Former England and British and Irish Lions first five-eighth Stuart Barnes wrote a withering critique of Wasps' decline in an article in The Times before the match.
Barnes claimed Wasps had failed to replace Cipriani, who now plays for Gloucester, while le Roux, Daly and former England wing Christian Wade (now playing NFL) had also departed.
GETTY IMAGES
Lima Sopoaga starred for the Highlanders and won 18 All Blacks caps before moving to England.
He said: "The signing of Lima Sopoaga was a clumsy mistake on the part of Dai Young, the [Wasps] director of rugby.
"A burly South Islander with a few All Black caps and an entirely different way of playing to Cipriani was never going to ease seamlessly into the No 10 shirt. Wasps were never going to reproduce the beautiful balance of their all-out offence."
Sopaga has played nine games for Wasps in all competitions this season and has scored 37 premiership points.
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He has 153 points - including one try - in 22 matches for the Coventry-based club since joining from the Highlanders.
Barnes blamed the club's recruitment for failing to cover the losses of Cipriani, Wade, Daly, le Roux and ex-England No 8 Nathan Hughes.
Wasps have had just two wins from eight matches this season.
Matthew Lewis
Veteran New Zealand back Jimmy Gopperth scores for Wasps against Northampton.
Gopperth scored one of their four tries against Northampton while South African halfback Cobus Reinach (with a double) and Kiwi co-captain Teimana Harrison were among Saints' try-scorers.
Northampton surrendered an 18-point lead to trail 31-28 after wing Tom Collins was sent off in the 65th minute for tackling Umaga in the air, and Reinach received a yellow card five minutes later for a deliberate slap-down as Saints conceded a penalty try.
But Fijian-born former Wallabies wing Taqele Naiyaravoro, a second half substitute, scored a match winning try for Northampton.
Matthew Lewis
Jimmy Gopperth in action for Wasps against Northampton.
Meanwhile, the Exeter Chiefs retained top spot in the premiership after a 45-28 away win over London Irish despite having two players sinbinned for deliberate knock-ons.
Midfielder Sam Hill scored two of Exeter's six tries while New Zealand-born Samoa test wing Belgium Tuatagaloa was among London Irish's four tryscorers.
AT A GLANCE
English Premiership points after 8 rounds)
Exeter 29, Northampton 28, Gloucester 23, Sale 22, Bristol 18, Bath, Worcester, Harlequins 17, Wasps, London Irish 13, Leicester 11, Saracens -7 (after 35 point reduction for salary cap breaches).
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January 06, 2020 at 07:19AM
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Former All Black Lima Sopoaga's signing a 'clumsy mistake' by Wasps, claims former England star - Stuff.co.nz
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