MEN 1873-1895
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Tea Ropati

OVERALL STATISTICS

BIRTHAGESIGNED ONFROM
07-09-1965
N/A
25-08-1990
Mangere East- NZ
DEBUTLAST MATCHLEFT
13-12-1989 v Dewsbury
Wigan
1994- Auckland Warriors- NZ
CAREERAPPEARANCES (SUBS)
1989-1993
129 (2)
TRIESGOALSDGOALSPTS
56
24
2
274

Biography of Tea Ropati



HERITAGE NO : 1021
Tea Ropati by Alex Service

We didn't get to see the best of Tea Ropati initially, as his progress was hindered by a knee injury. At his best, however, he had few equals. Tea was one of several Kiwis at Knowsley Road in the early 1990s, together with the likes of Shane Cooper, George Mann and Coach Mike McClennan. Tea was a superb footballer, strong in terms of physique, skilful, with superb hands and a great eye for the gap meant that he could play anywhere in the backs with total effectiveness. If need be, as illustrated in the 1992-93 season, he could also kick goals.

In the 1990-91 season, Tea played mainly in the right centre position, with Alan Hunte outside him. His tally of 12 tries from 29 appearances added much to Saints overall firepower, although the team was unlucky to lose out at Wembley against Wigan after smashing Widnes in the semi-finals, when the Kiwi influence was most apparent. Tea showed his versatility in 1991-92 when he played at left centre, covering the gap left by Paul Loughlin's injury. He was full value to the team once again, with 17 tries from 37 appearances. He won a Lancashire Cup winner's medal as Saints defeated Rochdale Hornets at Wilderspool, although defeat by Wigan in the Premiership final at Old Trafford took the edge off what had been a promising campaign.

The Saints pushed Wigan to the very limit during 1992-93, with the side playing some superb fast, open football. The threequarter line in particular was superb, although by this time Tea was at stand off and showed brilliant form. Unfortunately, a couple of key matches against unfancied opponents cost Saints the First Division tile, despite drawing with Wigan on points. The Riversiders also won the last-ever Lancashire Cup final by a single point at Knowsley Road, but Saints got some welcome reward by lifting the Premiership trophy at Old Trafford against their perennial rivals. For Tea it had been an outstanding campaign. He was the club's only ever present and scored 21 tries in his 40 appearances. His achievements were recognised by his selection for the Coaches XIII at the end of the campaign. He was a natural choice for the number 6 jersey, with Gary Connolly in at centre and Kevin Ward in the front row. He was also elected the Stones Bitter First Division Player of the Year and was unlucky not to win the coveted Man of Steel award, which went to Wigan's Andy Platt.

Tea and the team did not quite reach those heights during 1993-94. The side had been depleted with the sale of Gary Connolly and new blood was being brought in. Even so, Tea played in 20 matches and scored 7 tries, with a Challenge Cup semi-final appearance against Leeds the major highlight. His last match was at Central Park when the team lost 16-34 to a Wigan side who went on to win the competition.

Tea moved on to the fledgling Auckland Warriors outfit back home in New Zealand and he was to make a welcome reappearance at Knowsley Road during the 1997 World Club Challenge opener, which the visitors won by 42-14, where he showed more than a few glimpses of his former brilliance.

PLAYER HONOURS

SEASON STATISTICS

Season (Official Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1989~900 0 0 1
1990~91 12 0 0 31
1991~9217 0 0 38
1992~9321 24 2 40
1993~947 0 0 22
TOTALS:57 24 2 132
Season (Other Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1991~920002
1993~940001
TOTALS:0003

ALL MATCHES

DateMatchPosOpponentsCompVenueFTFTOTGDG
13th Dec 1989 1
W
 6 Dewsbury RT2 (rep) A 14 0 VIEW
23rd Sep 1990 2
W
 3 Hull Kingston Rovers L H 42 10 VIEW
30th Sep 1990 3
L
 3 Leeds L A 4 23 VIEW
7th Oct 1990 4
L
 3 Australia Tour H 4 34 VIEW
21st Oct 1990 5
L
 3 Castleford L H 16 29 VIEW
4th Nov 1990 6
W
 3 Rochdale Hornets L A 30 18 1 VIEW
11th Nov 1990 7
W
 2 Sheffield Eagles L H 34 17 VIEW
21st Nov 1990 8
L
 4 Bradford Northern L A 16 18 VIEW
25th Nov 1990 9
W
 2 Rochdale Hornets L H 44 14 1 VIEW
2nd Dec 1990 10
W
 2 Swinton RT1 A 31 7 VIEW
11th Dec 1990 11
W
 5 Featherstone Rovers RT2 A 33 16 1 VIEW
16th Dec 1990 12
L
 5 Warrington RT3 A 12 18 VIEW
23rd Dec 1990 13
L
 14 Sheffield Eagles L A 8 18 VIEW
26th Dec 1990 14
L
 2 Wigan L H 15 28 VIEW
1st Jan 1991 15
L
 14 Widnes L A 8 14 1 VIEW
6th Jan 1991 16
W
 4 Wakefield Trinity L H 36 14 1 VIEW
13th Jan 1991 17
W
 3 Featherstone Rovers L A 36 28 1 VIEW
20th Jan 1991 18
W
 3 Leeds L H 22 16 1 VIEW
27th Jan 1991 19
D
 3 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 26 26 VIEW
3rd Feb 1991 20
W
 3 Oldham L A 20 16 1 VIEW
10th Feb 1991 21
W
 3 Swinton CC1 A 18 8 1 VIEW
18th Feb 1991 22
W
 3 Hull L H 12 10 1 VIEW
23rd Feb 1991 23
W
 3 Wakefield Trinity CC2 H 16 2 VIEW
3rd Mar 1991 24
L
 3 Warrington L A 20 34 VIEW
10th Mar 1991 25
W
 3 Halifax CC3 A 24 16 VIEW
24th Mar 1991 26
L
 3 Castleford L A 4 28 VIEW
30th Mar 1991 27
W
 3 Widnes CCSF N 19 2 VIEW
4th Apr 1991 28
L
 6 Wigan L A 14 28 1 VIEW
7th Apr 1991 29
W
 3 Wakefield Trinity L A 22 8 1 VIEW
14th Apr 1991 30
W
 3 Warrington L H 62 16 VIEW
21st Apr 1991 31
L
 3 Hull PT1 A 12 28 VIEW
27th Apr 1991 32
L
 3 Wigan CCF N 8 13 VIEW
18th Aug 1991 --
W
 16 Widnes* Fr Charity A 30 26 VIEW
25th Aug 1991 --
W
 6 Barrow* Fr Testimonial A 20 16 VIEW
1st Sep 1991 33
W
 3 Hull L A 31 10 1 VIEW
8th Sep 1991 34
W
 3 Warrington L H 27 20 VIEW
15th Sep 1991 35
W
 6 Trafford Borough LC1 H 104 12 2 VIEW
22nd Sep 1991 36
W
 6 Swinton L A 16 12 1 VIEW
26th Sep 1991 37
W
 6 Oldham LC2 H 39 26 1 VIEW
29th Sep 1991 38
W
 6 Castleford L H 25 14 VIEW
6th Oct 1991 39
L
 6 Halifax L A 6 26 VIEW
10th Oct 1991 40
W
 4 Wigan LCSF H 28 16 VIEW
13th Oct 1991 41
W
 4 Bradford Northern L H 30 12 VIEW
20th Oct 1991 42
W
 4 Rochdale Hornets LCF N 24 14 VIEW
23rd Oct 1991 43
W
 4 Salford L H 25 16 1 VIEW
27th Oct 1991 44
D
 6 Leeds L A 8 8 VIEW
3rd Nov 1991 45
L
 6 Wakefield Trinity L A 12 20 VIEW
10th Nov 1991 46
W
 4 Hull Kingston Rovers L H 38 15 VIEW
17th Nov 1991 47
W
 4 Huddersfield RT1 A 32 10 VIEW
24th Nov 1991 48
W
 4 Oldham RT2 A 24 18 2 VIEW
1st Dec 1991 49
W
 6 Bradford Northern RT3 H 30 12 VIEW
4th Dec 1991 50
L
 6 Featherstone Rovers L A 6 8 VIEW
8th Dec 1991 51
W
 6 Swinton L H 28 4 1 VIEW
15th Dec 1991 52
L
 4 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 14 24 VIEW
21st Dec 1991 53
L
 6 Widnes RTSF N 10 18 VIEW
26th Dec 1991 54
L
 4 Wigan L A 6 16 VIEW
1st Jan 1992 55
W
 4 Widnes L H 24 22 1 VIEW
5th Jan 1992 56
W
 4 Salford L A 15 6 1 VIEW
12th Jan 1992 57
W
 4 Featherstone Rovers L H 28 10 1 VIEW
19th Jan 1992 58
W
 4 Wakefield Trinity L H 40 12 VIEW
2nd Feb 1992 59
W
 4 Widnes CC1 A 10 2 VIEW
8th Feb 1992 60
W
 4 Leeds CC2 A 32 12 VIEW
16th Feb 1992 61
W
 6 Bradford Northern L A 20 8 2 VIEW
22nd Feb 1992 62
L
 4 Wigan CC3 H 6 13 VIEW
1st Mar 1992 63
W
 4 Leeds L H 19 8 VIEW
8th Mar 1992 64
D
 4 Castleford L A 8 8 VIEW
22nd Mar 1992 65
W
 6 Halifax L H 30 28 VIEW
29th Mar 1992 66
W
 3 Hull L H 42 12 2 VIEW
4th Apr 1992 67
L
 14 Warrington L A 18 30 1 VIEW
17th Apr 1992 68
L
 3 Wigan L H 6 16 VIEW
20th Apr 1992 69
W
 6 Widnes L A 28 23 VIEW
17th May 1992 70
L
 6 Wigan PTF N 16 48 VIEW
23rd Aug 1992 71
W
 4 Wigan CS N 17 0 1 2 VIEW
30th Aug 1992 72
W
 4 Leeds L A 27 14 1 3 VIEW
6th Sep 1992 73
W
 6 Wakefield Trinity L H 24 12 6 VIEW
13th Sep 1992 74
W
 6 Barrow LC1 A 36 2 4 VIEW
20th Sep 1992 75
W
 4 Sheffield Eagles L A 18 10 2 VIEW
27th Sep 1992 76
W
 6 Salford L H 48 8 2 VIEW
30th Sep 1992 77
W
 6 Widnes LC2 H 10 8 1 VIEW
4th Oct 1992 78
W
 6 Wakefield Trinity L A 18 5 VIEW
7th Oct 1992 79
W
 6 Salford LCSF H 18 5 VIEW
11th Oct 1992 80
W
 4 Hull L H 38 8 1 VIEW
18th Oct 1992 81
L
 6 Wigan LCF N 4 5 VIEW
27th Oct 1992 82
W
 4 Huddersfield RTP H 44 18 3 3 VIEW
1st Nov 1992 83
L
 4 Bradford Northern L H 18 35 VIEW
8th Nov 1992 84
W
 6 Leeds RT1 H 15 14 1 VIEW
11th Nov 1992 85
L
 6 Leigh L A 6 11 VIEW
15th Nov 1992 86
W
 6 Salford L A 15 12 1 VIEW
22nd Nov 1992 87
W
 6 Bradford Northern L A 16 4 1 VIEW
29th Nov 1992 88
W
 6 Sheffield Eagles L H 30 20 2 3 VIEW
6th Dec 1992 89
W
 6 Featherstone Rovers RT2 A 25 8 VIEW
11th Dec 1992 90
L
 6 Castleford L A 6 16 VIEW
19th Dec 1992 91
L
 6 Castleford RT3 H 8 12 VIEW
27th Dec 1992 92
W
 6 Wigan L H 41 6 1 VIEW
6th Jan 1993 93
W
 6 Leigh L H 64 9 1 VIEW
17th Jan 1993 94
W
 6 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 22 11 VIEW
22nd Jan 1993 95
W
 6 Halifax L H 18 16 VIEW
31st Jan 1993 96
W
 6 Featherstone Rovers CC1 A 24 22 VIEW
5th Feb 1993 97
W
 6 Warrington L H 12 4 VIEW
13th Feb 1993 98
L
 6 Wigan CC2 A 3 23 VIEW
17th Feb 1993 99
L
 6 Widnes L A 8 26 1 VIEW
21st Feb 1993 100
L
 6 Hull L A 16 21 1 VIEW
3rd Mar 1993 101
W
 6 Castleford L H 24 20 1 VIEW
12th Mar 1993 102
W
 6 Hull Kingston Rovers L H 34 14 1 1 VIEW
19th Mar 1993 103
W
 6 Halifax L A 18 12 1 VIEW
28th Mar 1993 104
W
 6 Warrington L A 32 17 1 VIEW
4th Apr 1993 105
W
 6 Leeds L H 42 8 VIEW
9th Apr 1993 106
D
 6 Wigan L A 8 8 VIEW
12th Apr 1993 107
W
 3 Widnes L H 29 18 1 VIEW
23rd Apr 1993 108
W
 3 Halifax PT1 H 34 25 VIEW
9th May 1993 109
W
 6 Leeds PTSF H 15 2 VIEW
16th May 1993 110
W
 6 Wigan PTF N 10 4 VIEW
22nd Aug 1993 --
W
 6 Widnes* Fr Charity A 30 14 VIEW
29th Aug 1993 111
L
 6 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 10 16 1 VIEW
19th Sep 1993 112
W
 6 Leigh L H 34 16 1 VIEW
26th Sep 1993 113
W
 6 Castleford L A 35 18 1 VIEW
1st Oct 1993 114
W
 6 Featherstone Rovers L A 37 16 VIEW
20th Oct 1993 115
L
 6 New Zealand Tour H 8 14 VIEW
24th Oct 1993 116
L
 6 Sheffield Eagles L H 12 19 VIEW
11th Dec 1993 117
L
 6 Warrington RT3 H 8 16 VIEW
17th Dec 1993 118
W
 6 Hull Kingston Rovers L H 23 22 VIEW
13th Feb 1994 119
W
 14 Whitehaven CC5 A 46 4 1 VIEW
20th Feb 1994 120
W
 14 Featherstone Rovers L H 27 18 VIEW
27th Feb 1994 121
W
 3 Doncaster CC6 H 40 9 VIEW
6th Mar 1994 122
W
 3 Wakefield Trinity L A 35 22 VIEW
11th Mar 1994 123
L
 3 Sheffield Eagles L A 6 18 VIEW
26th Mar 1994 124
L
 3 Leeds CCSF N 8 20 VIEW
1st Apr 1994 125
L
 6 Wigan L H 9 15 VIEW
4th Apr 1994 126
L
 6 Widnes L A 17 20 VIEW
10th Apr 1994 127
W
 6 Hull L H 52 10 VIEW
13th Apr 1994 128
W
 6 Leeds L H 68 0 2 VIEW
17th Apr 1994 129
L
 6 Oldham L H 26 30 VIEW
19th Apr 1994 130
L
 3 Bradford Northern L A 16 18 VIEW
24th Apr 1994 131
L
 6 Halifax L A 30 37 1 VIEW
8th May 1994 132
L
 3 Wigan PT1 A 16 34 VIEW
*Unofficial Match. **Non Playing Sub.
WINS : 88 | LOSSES : 43 | DRAWS : 4

GALLERY





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