San Francisco Frontiers - Ex-All Black Sopoaga 'happy' for Lyon after Garbajosa axe

Ex-France back Garbajosa was sacked on Monday after defeat in the Top 14 play-offs two weeks ago.

"I think it probably needed to come sooner," Sopoaga told AFP.

"They've done it now and I'm really happy for the club and for the guys that are still here.

"The environment and things like that weren't that great for a long time during the season," he added.

Sopoaga joined Lyon in 2021, a year before Garbajosa took over as coach.

The 46-year-old led them to a third-placed finish in the table at the end of the regular season despite reported tensions between him and his squad.

"If he wants to keep coaching going forward, he has to learn to build relationships with players," Sopoaga said.

"It was something that wasn't a strength of his but the language and communication between him and I was a hard one because I don't speak much French, I understand it and it's the same for him with English.

"Maybe it was different for other players, I'm just speaking from my own personal dealings with him," he added.

- 'Holding back contracts' -

Sopoaga, 32, made the last of his 16 Test appearances in 2017 and left the Highlanders for Wasps the following year.

Last week, Wasps' fellow English club London Irish followed Sopoaga's former side into administration, and were thrown out of the Premiership, leaving dozens of players and backroom staff looking for new employers.

"There are so many people that it affects. Those who I feel bad for are the people, the fans," Sopoaga said.

"It's not just the rugby players, it's those in the background. For me it was Pudsey the kitman at Wasps.

"I know how much rugby has given me and what it can do for others, it can take you all around the world, give you experiences that you’d never get otherwise but for some of those players, that's it, it's done," he added.

Sopoaga's deal with Lyon comes to an end this month, with the Top 14 final this weekend, and he will join an unnamed Japanese outfit next season.

The new campaign in Japan is set to start a few weeks after the Rugby World Cup final, on October 28 in Paris.

"What it came down to was that a lot of teams were waiting for this World Cup," Sopoaga said.

"Some guys will show hard at the World Cup, be phenomenal so clubs are holding back a handful of their contracts as they know they're going to see the best of the best showcasing things in a few months' time.

"I'm a husband, a father, and I have three kids. I couldn't wait too long.

"I had offers to stay in France but it was better to go to Japan," he added.

L.Nguyen--SFF