Taking a Shine to Sevens
B
uxton Popoali’i (2005-2009) was a star at Wellington College and for his Northern United Club but the fullback struggled to break into the Lions' NPC side and took his sidestep to Otago this year. It was just a decision I made for my footy, more game time in the ITM Cup and hopefully I can stand out more, he said.
Norths boys, mucking around and backyard footy. I'm learning off the experienced guys. Buxton's path to top-level rugby hasn't been straightforward - he had heart valve replacement surgery in 2006. I still check it, every six months, just to see how it is. I take medicine every month but it doesn't annoy me. It gives me an extra boost and keeps the germs away and the blood running through my body.
Buxton is living in Dunedin with schoolmates and fellow Otago squad members, TJ Ioane, Joe Hill, Titapu Pairama-Lewington and Hanipale Galo. Buxton is also an accomplished rugby sevens player, and appeared in two sevens tournaments for New Zealand in 2009. He was again on the New Zealand sevens squad in 2011. Speed and stepping, it suits a little fella like me, I'm not that big. I also want to aim for that black jersey [All Blacks] and I've got to start somewhere so hopefully this is the pathway.
It’s Blues for Hobbs
New Hurricane
Is Jeff an All Black? was the question of the youngsters, who hung off their hero. Not yet, but whatever the future holds, it’s unlikely to affect Jeff’s popularity at the Wellington primary school where he works three days a week as an after-school carer. I’m studying education at the moment and looking to become a primary school teacher so it works out quite well with rugby, he said. We play games, that sort of stuff. There’s about 100 kids and eight of us. Jeff’s rise is a home-grown tale with the Porirua-raised kid heading to town at attend Wellington College, where he was in the same 1st XV as Highlanders 1st five, Lima Sopoaga. An U20 national representative last year, he was enticed to Marist St Pats and despite not having played for Wellington, has secured a Super Rugby contract. I’m keen to prove to myself at that level and if people back me I back myself... There’s a lot of pressure but pressure is just a challenge and challenge is good.
M
ichael Hobbs has joined the Wellington exodus to the Blues after being overlooked for a Super Rugby contract with the Hurricanes. Michael, who can play first or second five-eighth, confirmed he had signed a two-year deal with the Blues, who he played for in 2009. The 23-year-old, who has recovered from a back injury to resume ITM Cup duty for the Lions this season, joins fellow Wellingtonians Piri Weepu and Ma'a Nonu in Auckland. There was nothing that turned me away from the Hurricanes. At the end of the day it wasn't an option, unfortunately, Michael said.
No Looking Back
R
eg Goodes (2006-2009) attracted the attention of the Wellington selectors after a stellar performance for local club, Poneke to make the Wellington Lions 2011 team.
Reg emigrated from South Africa in 2006, and spent three years in the Wellington College 1st XV and culminated his selection for the NZSS team which also included Lima Sopoaga. His desire now is to become a Hurricane and one day earn a trip back to his former home in Pretoria and play at the hallowed Loftus Versfeld. I've got a few mates playing for the Bulls in the Currie Cup, and I'll hopefully play against them one day. That's my big goal for the next few years, he said. Once, Reg might have spent a lot of time looking back over his shoulder towards the old country. But he's here to stay now. I've been living here almost six years, so I'm kind of building the accent and I feel like a true New Zealander. I'm a permanent resident but I'm also applying for my citizenship soon.
Blue’n’Gold Nugget
L
ima Sopoaga (2005-2009) is the oldest of four boys. His younger brother, Tupou (2006-2010), currently plays for the Bulldogs in the Toyota Cup. Playing for the College’s 1st XV, Lima won four local championships and captained the side in 2009. Sibling number three is Zek, who has just spent his second year with the 1st XV and still has another year at the College, and there’s still one more yet to start at Wellington College. Aged 19, Lima was selected for Wellington in the 2010 ITM Cup and made his debut against Manawatu. He quickly established himself as the squad’s starting number 10 with a series of performances which belied his age. He finished the season with 88 points in nine appearances to help Wellington to reach the semi-finals of the competition, where he impressed by scoring 21 points although Wellington fell to eventual champions Canterbury. Lima followed his former Wellington coach Jamie Joseph south, signing with the Highlanders for 2011. Expected to back up Colin Slade, he ended up starting the opening game of the season against the Hurricanes with Slade injured, and responded in fine fashion by scoring a try and kicking two penalties in a 14-9 victory. However, in his second start he suffered a shoulder injury which ruled him out until the late stages of the season. THE LAMPSTAND, 2011 • 63
Old Boys in the News
J
effery Toomaga-Allen (2000-2004) is a gentle man and a handy set of monkey bars to the Thorndon School kids who hang off him, but it’s not why the Hurricanes are crowing about their big signing. At just 20-years-old, the tighthead prop has been snapped up on a two-year contract with his home franchise and touted for a huge future in rugby.
I've only had two sevens tournaments, Dubai and South Africa in 2009. But I've played a lot with the
Looking for more playing time, Buxton moved to Otago for the 2011 ITM Cup. He quickly established himself as a starter on the wing, and scored his first provincial try in a 32-25 victory over Auckland on 20 July. He finished the season as the province's leading try-scorer with 4, and was the only Otago player to start every match over the year.