But this record might never be erased.
Lima Sopoaga was a point-scoring machine in a golden era of Highlanders rugby and it seems certain his record tally at the club will not be surpassed.
Exactly what that tally is ... well, it seems that is up for debate.
Wikipedia says Sopoaga scored 853 points for the Highlanders, NZ Rugby Database goes with 863, the Highlanders themselves claim 866, and the New Zealand Rugby Almanack — usually the Bible in such matters — plumps for 868.
For the purposes of this series, we have gone with Rugby Database for every player, so 863 points it shall be.
That puts Sopoaga six points clear of Tony Brown, and as the third-highest scorer is in the 300s, it will be shock if he is surpassed.
Sopoaga was as automatic as it gets off the tee.
Perhaps, some wondered, he benefited from being the only Super Rugby kicker playing regularly in a covered stadium, where neither rain nor wind could make his life more difficult, but others have had the opportunity and not kicked so accurately.
Good goal-kickers are always treasured, but Sopoaga was far from a one-trick pony.
He developed into a superb game manager, did his share of defending and loved to slice and dice through a gap when it was time for a run.
Like many of the Highlanders from that era, he seemed to enjoy his work and have a smile on his face, and he acknowledged how much he had enjoyed his time in the South when he prepared for his final game in 2018.
‘‘I just want to have as much fun as I can with the Highlanders. This is a special team for me. We have so many great memories here and I just want to enjoy it one more time.’’
Sopoaga had come to Dunedin as a highly rated prospect from Wellington College and the New Zealand Schools team.
He did not set the world on fire — mainly because of injury — in his first couple of seasons but by 2014, he was the nailed-on starter in the No10 jersey.
His single-season Highlanders record of 191 points, set in the championship 2015 season, is another that will not be beaten.
Sopoaga started all but one game in that wonderful year, and 2015 also brought a test debut, when Sopoaga played superbly to help the All Blacks beat the Springboks at a hostile Ellis Park.
There was a logjam at first five in New Zealand rugby and, after 16 tests, Sopoaga chose to pursue his career overseas.
He had three seasons with now-defunct English club Wasps, a couple of seasons in France and Japan, played for Samoa at the 2023 World Cup, and came home last year to have a trot for Waikato in the NPC.
