Munster’s Latest Addition – Brian Lima

Nicknamed ‘The Chiropractor’ because of the severity of his tackling, Brian Lima has been capped 58 times by his native Samoa and is their all time leading try scorer

“It was never going to be a tense match or a tough match, a do-or-die match – not at all.” reported Planet-Rugby ” But if there was one player who did not know about a genteel run-around to raise money it was Brian Lima. The Samoan, famous for hard tackling, lived up to his reputation, as several North players felt.

Just five days after he caught the eye in that game, and not just for his tackling, he also scored a cracking try, Brian Lima threw in his considerable lot with Munster until the end of the season.

The news of his arrival came at an opportune time for Munster players and supporters alike who were still coming to terms with the loss of Christian Cullen injured in the Celtic League game and ruled out for the rest of the season.

Lima’s immediate willingness to travel back across the world once again shows the pulling power of this Munster side and the standing they obviously enjoy in world rugby.

Nicknamed ‘The Chiropractor’ because of the severity of his tackling, Lima has been capped 58 times by his native Samoa and is their all time leading try scorer.

Born in Apia, in January 1972, he was the youngest player at the 1991 World Cup where he played in all four games for Western Samoa, scoring two tries against Argentina.

As a Samoan squad member he took part in his fourth RWC in Australia in 2003.

Below international level he played Super 12 with Otago Highlanders and Auckland Blues and gained Heineken Cup experience playing six times for with Stade Francais. After the 2003 RWC he played for a time in Japan and now, along with Ifereimi Rawaqa the Fijian who has been signed by Leinster, he is preparing for the Hong Kong Sevens which begin on Friday March 18th.

That competition ends on Sunday March 20th and Lima is expected to arrive in Ireland in the week leading up to the Celtic League game with Gwent Dragons.