Former All Black Lima Sopoaga has had to bring in a "lookalike" kicking tee for Samoa's Rugby World Cup match against England this weekend.
Sopoaga made a plea on social media after Samoa's win over Chile to have his old kicking tee returned to him after it went missing when he left it on the pitch, but it never turned up.
The tee has been with the first-five since he was 14 and he considered it "an extension of myself".
"It's the first thing I pack before I pack my boots. I'd rather forget my boots than my kicking tee," Sopoaga said.
But coming to terms with the reality that it is likely gone forever, the 32-year-old said he's gone to great lengths to get as close a replacement as possible.
"I've been sent one that is similar from a kicking coach in England, his name is Alex Davies," he said
"He sent me an old one so it's kind of the same feel. I've taped it up and pretended it is the same one."
The former Highlanders star added he had the excuses ready if his kicking game wasn't up to his usual standard against England on Sunday morning in Samoa's final game of the World Cup.
"Hopefully I'm not shanking them on the weekend.
"If I am, then I am going to blame the tools!"
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