▁half ▁of ▁the ▁season . ▁ ▁Le ota ▁was ▁not ▁retained ▁by ▁the ▁High land ers ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁Super ▁ 1 4 ▁season , ▁and ▁instead ▁found ▁himself ▁in ▁the ▁wider ▁training ▁group ▁of ▁the ▁H urr ican es . ▁However , ▁he ▁did ▁not ▁make ▁an ▁appearance ▁for ▁the ▁squad ▁and ▁was ▁not ▁brought ▁back ▁after ▁missing ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁provincial ▁season ▁through ▁injury . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 1 ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁Le ota ▁moved ▁to ▁England ▁as ▁he ▁signed ▁for ▁S ale ▁Sh arks ▁who ▁comp ete ▁in ▁the ▁Av iva ▁Prem iers hip ▁after ▁the ▁conclusion ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁Rugby ▁World ▁Cup . ▁ ▁International ▁career ▁Le ota ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁ 2 5 ▁players ▁selected ▁in ▁the ▁squad ▁for ▁the ▁Sam o an ▁national ▁team ' s ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁Pacific ▁Nations ▁Cup ▁campaign , ▁in ▁the ▁lead up ▁to ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁Rugby ▁World ▁Cup . ▁He ▁made ▁his ▁international ▁debut ▁for ▁Sam oa ▁against ▁T ong a ▁in ▁La ut oka , ▁F iji . ▁Short ly ▁there after ▁he ▁returned ▁to ▁New ▁Zealand ▁and ▁res umed ▁provincial ▁duties ▁for ▁Man aw atu . ▁ ▁Personal ▁life ▁Johnny ▁Le ota ▁is ▁married ▁to ▁L iana ▁Le ota ▁( née ▁Bar rett - Ch ase ), ▁a ▁net ball ▁player ▁in ▁the ▁Silver ▁Fern s ▁and ▁the ▁Southern ▁Ste el . ▁The ▁couple ▁married