Born: September 21, 1953 - Bridge Pa, Hawke's Bay
Test record: 22 Tests (1979-82, 1984-85) - 1 try (3 points)
Tours: 1980 tour of Britain and France, 1982 tour of Australia and Papua New Guinea, 1985 tour of Britain and France
Front-row hard-man Kevin Tamati became a Kiwis icon in 22 Test appearances from 1979-85. He was named as one of the inaugural NZRL Legends of League in 1995 and holds the unique distinction of being named an Auckland Rugby League Immortal and in the Wellington Team of the Century.
Born near Hastings, Tamati eventually moved to Wellington and first represented the province as a teenager in 1972 from Petone Panthers. He made the Junior Kiwis side in 1973, and came off the bench for New Zealand MΔori and Wellington against the 1974 Lions.
Tamati linked with Upper Hutt Tigers in 1975, while his maiden Kiwis call-up came as a 25-year-old for the 1979 home series against Great Britain. He debuted as second-rower in the series opener - as did his cousin, hooker Howie Tamati - to begin a run of 11 consecutive Test appearances.
The bruising forward first lined up at prop for New Zealand in the third Test victory over the Lions in that '79 series, while he was in the second-row for the 1980 series opener against Australia and in the front-row for the second. He became a permanent fixture at prop on the 1980 tour of Britain and France, where featured in all five Tests (both series finished in draws).
Tamati played in the first Test against France in 1981, and both Tests against Australia and the one-off clash with Papua New Guinea in 1982 - scoring his sole Test try in the latter.
After two seasons with Randwick Kingfishers, Tamati inked his first professional club contract with Widnes for the 1982-83 campaign - the first of seven straight seasons in the British competition. He celebrated in Premiership (1982-83) and Challenge Cup (1984) triumphs with Widnes, and another Premiership success with Warrington (1985-86).
Tamati opted to stay at Widnes rather than return for the Kiwis' 1983 series against Australia, but he returned home in 1984 - this time to Auckland with Northcote Tigers. He featured throughout New Zealand's 3-0 cleansweep of Great Britain and in Auckland's victory over the Lions.
Perhaps incongruously, given his qualities as an elite all-round front-rower, Tamati's most oft-recalled moment came in the 1985 series opener against Australia at Lang Park. Tamati and Australian prop Greg Dowling engaged in a furious sideline stoush after being despatched to the sin-bin - with the Kiwi enforcer coming out on top - in a match the hosts ultimately won 26-20 with a late try. Tamati was on deck for the subsequent heart-breaking 10-6 loss in the second Test and the glorious 18-0 victory in the third, both at Carlaw Park.
The 32-year-old, mixing his responsibilities at Widnes, playing one tour match for the 1985 Kiwis in Britain and France. He came off the bench in first Test win over Great Britain in Leeds and was at prop for the drawn decider in Wigan, which was to be his last appearance for New Zealand.
Tamati finished up at Warrington in the 1988-89 season and took over as coach at Salford during the 1989-90 campaign, occasionally filling in as a player during the 1990-91 season and staying on as coach until 1993. He later had coaching stints with lower-tier clubs Chorley Borough, Lancashire Lynx and Whitehaven.