1. Tupou Sopoaga was born on 5 June 1992 and is a New Zealand professional rugby union footballer who currently plays for the Southland Stags in the Mitre 10 Cup.
19 Facts About Tupou Sopoaga
1. 2.
Tupou Sopoaga previously played rugby league for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks and the Penrith Panthers of the National Rugby League.
3.
Tupou Sopoaga is the younger brother of New Zealand rugby union representative Lima, and cousin of former Cronulla and Cook Islands teammate, Tinirau Arona.
4.
Tupou Sopoaga played his junior rugby league for the Petone Panthers, and was selected to play for the New Zealand schoolboys rugby union team in 2010 while attending Wellington College.
5.
Tupou Sopoaga was signed by the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and played for their NYC team in 2011 and 2012.
6.
On 4 October 2012, Tupou Sopoaga signed a 2-year contract with the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks starting in 2013.
7.
On 13 October 2012, Tupou Sopoaga played for the Junior Kiwis.
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Tinirau Arona 8.
Tupou Sopoaga played for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks' NSW Cup team throughout 2013.
9.
On 22 September, Tupou Sopoaga was named at second-row in the 2013 New South Wales Cup Team of the Year.
10.
Tupou Sopoaga represented the Cook Islands at the 2013 World Cup, playing in two matches, against the United States and Wales on 30 October and 10 November respectively.
11.
In February 2014, Tupou Sopoaga was selected in the Sharks' inaugural 2014 Auckland Nines squad.
12.
Tupou Sopoaga finished the Sharks 2014 season with him playing in 15 matches.
13.
On 11 November 2014, Tupou Sopoaga signed a 2-year contract with the Penrith Panthers starting in 2015.
14.
On 24 January 2015, Tupou Sopoaga was named in the Panthers 2015 Auckland Nines squad.
15.
On 25 September, Tupou Sopoaga was named in the Cook Islands' train-on squad for their 2017 World Cup qualification match against Tonga on 17 October, but chose not play in the game.
16.
Tupou Sopoaga returned home to New Zealand to continue playing rugby union.
17.
Tupou Sopoaga signed with the Southland province where all three of his brothers play.
18.
Tupou Sopoaga achieved the rare feat of debuting for the Highlanders before playing first class rugby in New Zealand as an injury crisis struck their loose forward stocks.
19.
Tupou Sopoaga captained the Cook Islands Rugby Union Team in their three tests during the year and the World Cup Qualifier against Ikale Tahi Tonga.