Romi Ropati
| Date of birth | 20 June 1976 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Place of birth | Auckland, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 73 kg (11 st 7 lb; 161 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Auckland Grammar | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Romi Ropati (born 20 June 1976 in Auckland, New Zealand) is a retired rugby union player best known for his time with the Highlanders Super Rugby franchise. Although born in New Zealand, he represented Samoa internationally and was a member of the Samoan squad at the 2003 Rugby World Cup. He is the Coach of Tahiti's Men's National Rugby Union Team.
Playing career
Ropati is a member of a famous rugby league family and he had three older brothers who played internationally for the New Zealand Kiwis (Joe, Tea and Iva). However, he chose to pursue a career in rugby union, and made his provincial debut for Auckland in 1996 as part of a squad which would win the National Provincial Championship.
Ropati was then one of a group of Auckland players (including future
In 2003, Ropati left New Zealand to begin a two-year stint in the Japanese
Ropati returned to New Zealand in 2008 to close out his career with
International career
Ropati played for New Zealand age group sides but was never called up to the
This looked to be his sole international appearance until he was a surprise inclusion in the Samoan squad selected to play New Zealand in New Plymouth on 3 September 2008, almost 5 years after his debut. He came on as a substitute in a 101–14 defeat.