Highlanders five-eighth Lima Sopoaga is benefiting from regular rugby which could yet thrust him into the international frame according to coach Jamie Joseph.
Sopoaga and All Blacks halfback Aaron Smith have started all eight games together in a resurgent Super Rugby campaign for the Highlanders who are seventh and revelling in a three-game winning streak.
The pair will again be key figures when they face the last-placed Stormers in Cape Town on Sunday (NZT).
Joseph is delighted Sopoaga, 23, is fulfilling his potential after three injury-plagued seasons with the southerners.
He started six games in 2011 and only two in each of the past two seasons as he has battled major shoulder and ankle problems.
“He’s had a bad run but he’s in good nick physically and mentally and he’s building on the good form he showed during the pre-season,” Joseph said.
“Players the same age like Aaron Cruden and Beauden Barrett have developed into good All Blacks (five-eighths) and I’m sure Lima will have that at the back of his mind.”
Joseph, who coached Sopoaga at NPC level in Wellington, lured the playmaker south and has enjoyed watching him race towards the Highlanders’ pointscoring record for a season.
With at least eight games remaining he is just 27 points short of the 150 points scored by former All Blacks pivot Tony Brown in 2000.
Sopoaga kicked six-from-six in their upset win over the Sharks in Durban last week, lifting his success rate this year to an excellent 88 per cent.
Of equal importance has been his maturity in controlling games, through clever option-taking and astute tactical kicking.
Joseph is wary of the Stormers, who he says are far better than their table position suggests.
The hosts have lost six of their last seven games but are boosted this week by the return from injury of bruising Springboks flanker Schalk Burger among four changes.
The Highlanders have made three starting changes from the team who stunned the Sharks 34-18.
Wing Trent Renata, flanker John Hardie and lock Josh Bekhuis replace Patrick Osborne, Shane Christie and Jarrad Hoeata respectively.
Former Crusaders prop Chris King will play his 100th game for the Highlanders.
