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SPECIAL: Will Hopoate – Not Playing On SundaysWell Said Joey Johns!
Posted by NRL Live Commentary on Sunday, March 27, 2016
The Australian media is buzzing with the recent announcement that Will Hopoate, a national rugby star, has decided he will no longer play or train on Sundays.
Hopoate, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, currently plays for the Canterbury–Bankstown Bulldogs, a team ranked first in the National Rugby League (NRL). In addition to sitting out during crucial rounds of the NRL season, Hopoate’s decision also means that if the Bulldogs make the NRL grand finale, the 23-year-old star athlete will not play.
Commentators on the “Sunday Footy Show” praised Hopoate for his commitment to his faith and the strength of his decision.
Andrew Johns, one of the anchors, stated, “I think it is amazing to put something like that, at grand final, and stand aside just because of your faith and what you believe in… It goes to show what sort of person he is and what the religion means to him.”
This is not the first time Hopoate has chosen his faith over rugby. In 2011, Hopoate turned down a $1.5 million deal from the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles to serve a mission for the Church. Hopoate served in the Brisbane, Australia mission.
Watch the full video, shared above, to hear the full discussion on the “Sunday Footy Show.”
