Lima Sopoaga

As good as he's been in leading the Highlanders to a franchise record eight-consecutive wins, the return of six-cap All Black first-five eighth Lima Sopoaga on Saturday night could soon end his golden run. 

Sopoaga, who hadn't played since injuring his hamstring against the Blues on March 11, played 25 minutes off the bench in the Highlanders' 55-6 demolition job of the Western Force in Perth.

Highlanders coach Tony Brown indicated Sopoaga would again come off the pine against the Waratahs in Dunedin on Saturday night, before possibly making a change the following week. 

Smith has started every game for the Highlanders this season but Kane Hammington will pull on the number nine jersey to help manage the All Black halfback's workload in the lead up to the British and Irish Lions Series next month.

First five Lima Sopoaga will play his first match in more than two months after recovering from a hamstring injury.

The 26-year-old will start from the bench.

Returning to the starting line up are All Blacks hooker Liam Coltman and winger Tevita Li, who replaces the suspended Waisake Naholo.

Sopoaga, one of a bunch of All Blacks under an injury cloud ahead of the looming British and Irish Lions tour, hasn't played since pinging a hamstring against the Blues in round three. 

The 26-year-old was initially given a six-eight week prognosis, and Highlanders coach Tony Brown was last week hopeful the pivot would return against the Bulls in Pretoria Sunday week (NZT). 

However, speaking from Bloemfontein on Thursday morning , Brown said Sopoaga was still "at least" two weeks away. 

Sopoaga's Highlanders team-mate Malakai Fekitoa posted a photo of Fekitoa being kissed by two of his team-mates on Instagram and Sopoaga commented "hah gayyyyyyyyyyye".

That may have been a reference to the internet meme which spawned from the television show Community, but it didn't go down well.

Sopoaga deleted the off-the-cuff comment and apologized immediately once he realised he may have upset people.

"Sorry to anyone who took offence to my comment above," Sopoaga wrote.

Sopoaga, the brother of All Blacks and Highlanders first-five eighth Lima, has been named on the bench for the team's round six match against the winless Melbourne Rebels.

After struggling for game time, the 24-year-old former Cronulla Shark and Penrith Panther gave up league and returned to rugby union late last year in Australia's domestic competition.

The loose forward signed to play for the Southland Stags a few weeks ago, and was promptly snapped up by the Highlanders, whose loose forward stocks have been depleted by injury. 

24-year-old Sopoaga has played 49 games for the Highlanders and made his All Blacks Test debut this year against the Springboks in South Africa.

He holds the season record for points scored by a Highlander with 191 in 2015.

Highlanders first five Lima Sopoaga and Hurricanes lock James Broadhurst will make their first appearances in the black jersey against South Africa on Sunday morning.

Sopoaga says playing inside Ma'a Nonu has been just a dream until now.

"Y'know I grew up in the 04 looking up to Nonu, never did I imagine playing a test with him, especially at Ellis Park in the ten jumper."

Sopoaga says Highlanders coaches Jamie Joseph and Tony Brown told him to strip back his game.