Buxton Popoali'i

Buxton Popoali'i (born 4 December 1989) is a former New Zealand rugby union player who played club rugby for Dunedin side Green Island,[1] provincial Mitre 10 Cup rugby for Wellington between 2008 and 2010 and for Otago between 2011 and 2013. He also made 15 appearances for the Highlanders in 2012 and 2013. He usually played as a winger or fullback.

Buxton Popoali'i
Date of birth (1989-12-04) 4 December 1989
Place of birthAuckland, New Zealand
Height1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Weight87 kg (13 st 10 lb; 192 lb)
Occupation(s)Personal trainer
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing, Fullback
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
2008–10
2011–13		 Wellington
Otago		 18
31		 (0)
(60)
Super Rugby
Years Team Apps (Points)
2012–13 Highlanders 15 (0)

He retired from professional rugby in 2014, aged 24, due to a heart condition.[2]

Playing career

Popoali'i overcame heart valve replacement surgery at age 16 to crack the Wellington provincial squad for the 2008 Air New Zealand Cup.[3] He would spend three seasons with Wellington, but appeared in only 19 matches over that stretch, mainly off the bench.

Looking for more playing time, Popoali'i moved to Otago for the 2011 ITM Cup.[4] 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.

Popoali'i is also an accomplished rugby sevens player, and appeared in two sevens tournaments for New Zealand in 2010. He was again on the New Zealand sevens squad in 2011.

Popoali'i was named in the 2012 wider training squad for the Highlanders in 2011. Popoali'i made his Super Rugby debut for the Highlanders on the right wing in the 23–19 victory against the Chiefs on 25 February 2012 in Hamilton.

References
  1. "Super Rugby Profile: Highlanders – Buxton Popoalii". Archived from the original on 14 November 2013. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
  2. "Buxton Popolaii retires from rugby". SANZAR. 13 March 2014. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  3. Worthington, Sam (1 February 2011). "Buxton Popoalii to step into sevens limelight". The Dominion Post. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  4. "Buxton Popoalii". Television New Zealand. Retrieved 22 September 2011.


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