Great Sporting Nicknames: The Chiropractor

Samoans are known throughout the rugby world as the biggest hitters in the game, and in this nation of big hitters, Brian Lima was, for many years, king. The only Samoan to be banned from tackling his team mates in training, such was the damage he could inflict, despite the history of Samoan tacklers such as Va'aiga Tuigamala and Trevor Leota, Lima became known as 'The Chiropractor' for rearranging his victims' bones with each hit.


Lima tackles Derick Hougaard at the 2003 World Cup

Unfortunately his tackles strayed into illegality too often for a player with such a long career, and despite being the only man to play in five World Cups, he never seemed to learn his lesson. Fittingly, his international career finally ended with a three-week ban during the 2007 World Cup for a typically robust high tackle on Jonny Wilkinson. However, when he got it right, he was thrilling to watch, utterly fearless and completely dedicated to the cause, and like so many great hard-tackling Samoan players, he dished out the big hits without malice, and played the game in an earnest and honest manner.

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The tackle which led to the ban that ended Lima's career

The attention on his tackling meant that his other skills were often overlooked, but he was a world-class wing and centre, and one does not play in five World Cups, nor for top-flight clubs in England, New Zealand, Wales, Ireland and France without being a multi-faceted player. The fact that he played so long, despite his uncompromising style also speaks of a remarkable athlete, and the game was always a more eventful place for his presence.

As a nickname, 'The Chiropractor' has a great balance of humour and menace, you can picture it being given to a mafia enforcer or a Guy Ritchie-esque cockney villan. That is, however, if you would even consider giving the name to anyone else. Like all great nicknames, it was clear that there could be only one 'Chiropractor'.