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Lima Sopoaga trolls NBA star sparking code war between fans

By Online Editors

01 May 2018

Sopoaga vs JR Smith

All Blacks and Highlanders first five-eighth Lima Sopoaga has sparked a ‘fan war’ between rugby and NBA fans after throwing tongue-in-cheek banter at Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard J.R. Smith.

The NBA star posted a hypothetical scenario on Instagram, asking his followers what would they do if they found a truck full of cash with your child and the driver of the truck deceased. Smith captioned that his child would have said “Daddy get that side i got this side” to which Lima Sopoaga replied, “Daddy will all this money buy you a jump shot to help LBJ in the finals?”

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been a one-man band in the NBA playoffs with many commentators criticising the team for performing poorly providing little to no help to Lebron James. The trolling by Sopoaga has triggered a wave of angry NBA fans, unaware of who he is. The replies in some cases are too explicit to repost here.

Coming to the rescue are a number of rugby fans, willing to bat on behalf of rugby as comments going both ways reach slanderous levels. It is believed to be the first social media beef between a professional rugby player and a professional basketball player. It is not known whether Sopoaga is a fan who bandwagons Lebron or whether he is a genuinely concerned Cavs fan about Smith’s jumper.

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Comments on RugbyPass

Frans 24 minutes ago

Autumn Nations Series 2024: Everything you need to know about round four

i think Argentina v France could be a good game too, depending on which Argentina turns up. The most difficult to call is Scotland Australia.

2 Go to comments

Bull Shark 34 minutes ago

Autumn Nations Series 2024: Everything you need to know about round four

Australia definitely the game of the weekend. Wallabies by 3.

2 Go to comments

tt 44 minutes ago

Jake White: Ireland, Australia and Wales all have the same problem

Smith is playing a different game with the rest of the backs struggling to understand. That's the problem with so called playmakers, if nobody gets what they're doing then it often just leads to a turnover. It gets worse when Borthwick changes one of them, which is why they don't score points at the end. Sometimes having a brilliant playmaker can be problematic if a team cannot be built around them. Once again Borthwick seems lacking in either coaching or selection. I can't help but think it's the latter coupled with pressure to select the big name players.

Lastly, his forward replacements are poor and exposed either lack of depth or selection pressure. Cole hemorrhages scrum penalties whenever he comes on, opponents take advantage of the England scrum and close out the game. Is that the best England can offer?

10 Go to comments

OJohn 1 hour ago

David Campese takes back his Joe Schmidt coaching Australia criticism

Which Australian coaches would be acceptable to coach the All Blacks ?

25 Go to comments

SF 1 hour ago

Let's be real about these All Blacks

I'm a SA'can and like Ben I hate the springboks.

32 Go to comments

CC 1 hour ago

South Africa vs Wales | Live & Latest Rugby Union Scores & Results | RugbyPass

I reckoned the springbok coach, has now started to underestimate Wales, sending 8players home? Really? It’s not yet over until it’s over Coach

3 Go to comments

Utiku Old Boy 1 hour ago

David Campese takes back his Joe Schmidt coaching Australia criticism

I am waiting for your list of candidates. We had several from which to choose so give me some choice (your list) in Aussie candidates for the ABs. You imply that any Australian would be preferrable to Schmidt, yet E Jones and Cheika obviously didn't meet your standards either. Are you angry that Schmidt is far exceeding Jones? All Oz coaches you have quoted are from way back in time. When you had some choice. What you won't admit, is you got nobody better than a kiwi currently. Otherwise you would be putting them up. The fact you don't shows you are a blowhard because you want to groan about Schmidt purely on the basis he is kiwi - not his impressive results.

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LV 1 hour ago

Let's be real about these All Blacks

Another poorly written article. Well done Ben, keep up the good work!

32 Go to comments

CC 1 hour ago

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Thanks Steve D

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SteveD 1 hour ago

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Too many pampered, precious Posh Boys who think the sun shines out of their backsides?

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OJohn 1 hour ago

Jake White: Ireland, Australia and Wales all have the same problem

Nothing would have been better. In the last 6 months of McKenzie's coaching, the Wallabies were really starting to hum. They were playing some brilliant rugby, even with no Pocock and came so close to winning the Bledisloe Cup. Only 3 points short I think.

Schmidt is a competent coach and after Jones destroying the Wallabies moral with picking useless Tah players (Bell is very good) any coach could have improved the Wallabies. We have achieved nothing so far really.

10 Go to comments

SteveD 1 hour ago

Sadness pervades as Gatland stands on the brink of Welsh exit

I'm afraid Gatland lost my respect with his uncalled for comments earlier in the year and his whinging about the so-called Boks' bad attitude in the Lions' 2021 tour. I also think he's not done my '6 nations' team much good this time round and they'll be well rid of him with his dated approach.

22 Go to comments

SteveD 1 hour ago

Cheslin Kolbe backed to end 16-year wait

(Erm, quietly, he's Irish)

12 Go to comments

Ardy 1 hour ago

'Steve Borthwick hung his troops out to dry - he should take some blame'

He's coaching like Eddie V2 did in Australia...You need someone with bigger balls and an understanding of what to do to improve what is going on. It is a dynamic environment that is constantly changing as coaches dream up new ways to win. He is like an automaton of Eddie's creation.