Now, unexpectedly, he finds himself back in the NPC after a nine-year absence.
Hayden Meikle tracks down Sopoaga, who scored a late, game-winning try for Waikato in his comeback last week.
Sopoaga: Well, my wife and my kids live in Hamilton. My wife is born and bred in Hamilton. So, Hamilton’s now home. Happy wife, happy life, right?
In my last year of my contract in Japan, they stayed in New Zealand and I kind of went back and forth. I’m not really too sure if I want to go back or go without them because they’re pretty settled. I’m pretty proud of my kids.
Coming back to New Zealand is like the fourth country they’ve grown up in. So, to give them some stability and see them, you know, make some really good, amazing friends and see my wife flourishing is pretty cool. Yeah, it’s the reason why I’m here.
How many children?
I’ve got three kids, all girls, 8, 6 and 4. Definitely a lot of fun. It’s life-changing and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m pretty grateful that they’ve got a beautiful mum who’s really raised them well and really looked after me along our journey.
It’s good that we can be home now, up here in Hamilton with her family. But yeah, they keep me busy and they make me a little bit greyer by the day. I’m enjoying my time now while they still think Dad’s a superhero. I know that’s going to change at some point and I’ll never know when that is.
How did Waikato coach Ross Filipo convince you to pull on the Mooloo colours?
Floss is a good friend of mine and I’ve known Floss since I started playing footy, when I first started at the Lions and I was a little 18-year-old or whatever I was back then. I bumped into him at a pub here and he sort of just said, what are you up to? And that’s where the conversation come from. He told me he needed me from week three or four but he’s chucked me in and said I was good to go from round one.
Yeah, I do. I think they’re good nerves, though. It’s pretty exciting. There’s a young group of very talented guys here who want to do well and I think the expectation is that they want to come and win the comp, and with the talent in the room, they want to be able to do some special things in this Waikato jersey.
For someone who’s a bit older, my job is to come and share my experiences and help these young guys on their journey as footy players, whatever that looks like, and just share the information and the golden nuggets that were once shared to me by older players, not only in New Zealand but around the world.
So far, it’s been pretty cool seeing some of these young kids and getting to know them. Some of them make me feel old. One of the boys the other day said he used to watch me when he was in primary school.
So, it’s kind of full circle, you know. I remember my time as a young fellow coming through the ranks and getting to play with Rodney So’oialo and Neemia Tialata and guys like Chris King and Jason Rutledge. Now it’s my turn to be in this seat, which is quite special.
You’ve played test rugby for two nations, and you’ve played top-level rugby in England, France and Japan. But do you still think the NPC is still special and has an important role to play?
Oh, for sure. The women’s comp as well. I’ve been away for a long time now, but it’s an important part of the fabric of New Zealand rugby. I think it’s a very special game and it has its place in our rugby culture. It’s needed and it’s quite exciting. Waikato people love their rugby, eh. They really do and they’re pretty proud people.
Do you know what your rugby future holds beyond this season?
Not too sure, to be totally honest. The choices now are just based around my family. Not too sure if I’ll jet back overseas or not, but there’s certainly a couple of options that I’m weighing up. I just don’t know exactly where right now, but we’ll see. Maybe it’s down to the Landers for a few more down and ups with my old friend Jamie Joe.
Don’t discount it. They could use an experienced first five.
He’d break my back in week one, that fella.
Did you make it down for the reunion of the great 2015 Highlanders team?
Yeah, only just. There was a lot of flight cancellations and whatnot, so we missed the dinner on the Friday night, which was unfortunate. But me and Shaun Treeby ended up making it down, and yeah, it was bloody awesome. I hadn’t been to Dunedin since 2018 when I left to go to the UK. Dunedin holds a very special place in my heart.
Things have changed - new cafes, new restaurants, Les Mills has moved - but I think the essence of the city is still there and it’s still a warm community, great people, and just a beautiful city. It brought back a lot of fond memories going down for the reunion, and just really enjoyed my time catching up with the boys, It was truly wicked.
If you look at that 2015 season, Jamie Joe had gone down there in 2010, and he had a plan, and the region stuck by him through the ups and the downs, and it came to fruition five years later. So it might not be this year, it might not be next year, it might not be in three years, but if there’s a man that can turn it around and bring success back to the region, it’s definitely him.
But with the Highlanders, it’s always a patience game. There’s not a big catchment of players who are from Dunedin. A lot of guys come from outside of the Otago region, and so it’s about grabbing a group of young guys, adding in a few special pieces, and hopefully just trusting in the plan and the process that Jamie and the coaching staff will have. It might take time but it’ll be worth the wait.
Jamie Joseph has given Ben Smith and Nasi Manu jobs at the Highlanders. If he gives you a bell and offers you something — on or off the field — what would you say?
He’d probably say I’ve got two days to decide and hang up the phone, ha ha. We’ll see what happens, but I’m going to throw everything at this Waikato campaign and try and help the boys bring a trophy back here, and whatever happens, happens. I truly believe I’ve still got more to give to this game in whatever capacity it looks like in the future. I’m as hungry as ever to go, and if they give me a call then I’ll definitely answer it.
What about international rugby? Is playing for Samoa again on the cards?
I think international rugby is probably ... I’ll probably retire from that. I’ve probably given it my all for Samoa, and I think there’s a great group of young guys coming through. I will support the team fully, but there needs to be a changing of the guard to bring some of those younger fellas through, guys like Jacob Umaga and D'Angelo Leuila.
I still watch international rugby with great interest, especially up in the north, having lived there. But yeah, I’m just enjoying where my life is at at the moment, being around my family a lot.
And if a Super Rugby club made you an offer?
Then we pick up the phone and maybe we answer the call. You never say never, right? But also you’ve got to let your game speak for itself, and they don’t hand contracts out just because former All Blacks want to come back.
You’ve got to earn it from the plate and take a swing at it. So that’s what I’ll do during this season with Waikato and see where the ball lands.
