Aaron Remana Hopa (13 November 1971 – 8 December 1998) was a New Zealand international rugby union player whose career was cut short when he died in a diving accident at sea.

Early life

Hopa was born in 1971 in Hamilton, Waikato, a province of New Zealand's north island.

Aaron Hopa

Career

He was an All Black in 1997 and played four matches on that year's tour of Britain and Ireland. He played for Waikato at provincial level including the Ranfurly Shield winning team in 1997 and he also played for the Chiefs in the Super 12. Hopa was outstanding in his position of loose forward.

Aaron Hopa

Death

In 1998, Hopa drowned in an accident while on a diving expedition near Slipper Island, off the Coromandel Peninsula coast of Waikato. He was 27.

Aaron Hopa

References

External links

1971 births

1998 deaths

New Zealand rugby union players

New Zealand international rugby union players

Rugby union players from Hamilton, New Zealand

Waikato rugby union players

Chiefs (rugby union) players

Underwater diving deaths

Rugby union forwards