Career
He also made 15 appearances for the Highlanders in 2012 and 2013. He usually played as a winger and fullback. He retired from professional rugby in 2014, aged 24, due to a heart condition.
Popoali'i overcame heart valve replacement surgery at age 16 to crack the Wellington provincial squad for the 2008 Air New Zealand Cup. He would spend three seasons with Wellington, but appeared in only 19 matches over that stretch, mainly off the bench. He quickly established himself as a starter on the wing, and scored his first provincial try in a 32-25 victory over Auckland on 20 July.
He finished the season as the province's leading try-scorer with 4, and was the only Otago player to start every match over the year. He was again on the New Zealand sevens squad in 2011. Popoali'i was named in the 2012 wider training squad for the Highlanders in 2011.
Popoali'i made his Super Rugby debut for the Highlanders on the right wing in the 23-19 victory against the Chiefs on 25 February 2012 in Hamilton.
