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Brian Lima

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Brian Lima
Birth nameBrian Pala Lima
Date of birth (1972-01-25) 25 January 1972 (age 52)
Place of birthApia, Samoa
Height1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight95 kg (14 st 13 lb; 209 lb)
SchoolSt Joseph's College, Samoa.
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing, Centre
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
1992–1996 Ponsonby ()
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1990-1992 Marist St. Joseph's ()
1999–01 Stade Français ()
2001–02 Swansea 12 (5)
2003–04 Secom Rugguts 7 (0)
2005 Munster 0 (0)
2005–07 Bristol 23 (25)
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
1992–1999 Auckland[1] 30 (105)
Super Rugby
Years Team Apps (Points)
1996 Highlanders 11 (30)
1997–98 Blues 12 (35)
1999 Highlanders 13 (35)
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1990–07 Samoa 64 (140)
2004 Pacific Islanders 2 (0)
National sevens team
Years Team Comps
1993–2005 Samoa

Brian Pala Lima OM (born 25 January 1972) is a Samoan former rugby union player who was inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame in 2011.[2] He earned the nickname of "The Chiropractor" for his shuddering hits both on and off the pitch that supposedly rearranged the bones of the victim.[3]

National team

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Lima was born in Apia, Samoa. He debuted for the Samoa national rugby union team in 1990. He featured in Samoa's famous World Cup win over Wales in 1991, and he was the youngest player at the 1991 Rugby World Cup.[4]

One of Lima's most illuminating moments came in Samoa's match against South Africa in a group match at the 2003 Rugby World Cup. As Springbok fly-half Derick Hougaard leapt up in the air to catch a hospital pass, Lima "dive-tackled" him, sending Hougaard crashing to the ground.[5]

Lima was the first player to appear in five World Cups,[3] his fifth being the 2007 World Cup in France, in which he came on against South Africa in Samoa's first game after 60 minutes. Lima announced that he would retire after the 2007 Rugby World Cup.[6] Michael Jones, the Samoa coach (at that time), announced Lima as the captain for the first game of that year's Pacific Nations Cup. Brian Lima was selected to lead Samoa against Fiji. This game was one of Lima's last games on Samoan soil.

Lima also played for the Samoa national rugby sevens team. He scored 17 tries in various Rugby World Cup Sevens tournaments, ranking him third all-time in career World Cup Sevens tries.[7]

Professional

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Lima signed for Munster after an impressive game for the southern hemisphere vs the northern hemisphere in a fundraising game for the 2004 tsunami.[8] However Lima was injured shortly after landing in Ireland and never got to pull on the Munster jersey.[9] He has also played for the Blues, Auckland, the Highlanders, and Secom in Japan. He signed a two-year deal with Bristol starting in the 2005–06 season.[10]

In December 2013 Lima was charged with causing actual bodily harm and being armed with a dangerous weapon after publicly assaulting and injuring his ex-wife.[11] He subsequently resigned as coach of the Samoan national team.[12] In June 2014 he was convicted on five charges and sentenced to two years supervision.[13]

In August 2020 he was appointed head coach of the Samoa national rugby sevens team.[14]

Recognition

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Lima was appointed to the Order of Merit of Samoa in the 2014 Samoa Honours and Awards.[15]

References

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  1. ^ Brian Pala Lima at New Zealand Rugby History
  2. ^ "RWC legends inducted into IRB Hall of Fame" (Press release). International Rugby Board. 26 October 2011. Archived from the original on 27 October 2011. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
  3. ^ a b "Brian Lima". World Rugby Hall of Fame. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  4. ^ Ashfak Mohamed (26 May 2020). "The Glory of '95: Brian Lima is a true legend of the game". IOL. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  5. ^ Bronwyn Hardick (9 June 2015). "The knock that Hougaard still feels today". jacarandaFM. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  6. ^ Cherelle Jackson (22 June 2007). "'Chiropractor' of Samoan rugby to retire". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  7. ^ Maciu Malo (7 March 2009). "Serevi, Vunibaka still stand tall". Fiji Sun. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  8. ^ "Munster's Latest Addition – Brian Lima". Munster Rugby. 11 March 2005. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  9. ^ "Brian Lima Returns Home". Munster Rugby. 3 May 2005. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  10. ^ "Brian Lima and David Lemi Join Bristol". EPCR. 12 July 2005. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  11. ^ Morgan Tait (18 December 2013). "Rugby hero bashed me, says ex-wife". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  12. ^ "Samoa's Lima quits in shame". Sport24. 7 January 2014. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  13. ^ Matt Manukia (20 June 2014). "Rugby star Lima avoids jail for assaulting ex-wife". 1News. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  14. ^ "Muliagatele Brian Lima Named Manu Samoa Sevens Head Coach". DJ Coil Rugby. 11 August 2020. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  15. ^ "Honours conferred". Samoa Observer. 22 December 2014.
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