Lima Sopoaga has launched an appeal to find his kicking tee after it went missing after Manu Samoa’s Rugby World Cup win over Chile on Saturday in Bordeaux.
Sopoaga, 32, took to social media to ask for the kicking tee to be returned as it has sentimental value with it being the tee he has used since he was 14-years-old.
“Could whoever took my goal kicking tee from the field please give it back to me. I’ll even pay you for it. I’ve had it since I was 14 years old,” he posted on X, formerly Twitter.
Sopoaga added on his Instagram account that he left it on the “side of the pitch while signing things for the fans”. He added: “Went back to get it & it was gone.”
As he asked for the tee to be returned, he said: “I’ll even pay you for it.”
The “side of the pitch” is not accessible to the general public, however, World Rugby has also joined the appeal, promising merchandise in exchange for the returned tee.
Sopoaga was a second-half replacement against Chile and played 24 minutes off the bench.
Manu Samoa have announced that Sopoaga has sustained an injury during training this week. He has not been named in the 23 man squad to play Argentina this weekend.
He won 16 caps for the All Blacks from 2015 to 2017 but switched allegiances to Samoa ahead of this World Cup.
His club career saw him play for the Hurricanes, Wasps and Lyon. He is now in Japan with the Shimizu Blue Sharks.
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