Peter Ropati is a New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

 former rugby league

Rugby league

Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...

 player and commentator who played professionally for Leigh

Leigh Centurions

Leigh Centurions is an English professional rugby league club based in Leigh, Greater Manchester who play in the Co-operative Championship.The club was founded in 1878 as Leigh Rugby Football Club and is one of the original twenty-two clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in...

.

Ropati is from a large rugby league family that includes brothers Joe

Joe Ropati

Joe Ropati is a New Zealand rugby league player who represented his country in nine Test Matches, including in games that counted towards the 1988 World Cup. Ropati is part of a large rugby league family that includes internationals Iva, Peter, Tea and rugby union international Romi...

, Iva

Iva Ropati

Iva Lewis Ropati is a former rugby league international player and High School Principal.-Early years:He grew up playing for the Otahuhu Leopards before moving to the Te Atatu Roosters where he won a Fox Memorial premiership. He later played for the Mangere East Hawks before moving to England...

, Tea

Tea Ropati

Tea Faa'tea Ropati is a former rugby league player who represented New Zealand and Western Samoa...

 and Romi

Romi Ropati

Romi Ropati is a retired rugby union player best known for his time with the Highlanders Super Rugby franchise...

.

Playing career

Ropati began playing for the Otahuhu Leopards

Otahuhu Leopards

The Otahuhu Leopards are a rugby league club based in Otahuhu, New Zealand. The club competes in the Fox Memorial competition run by the Auckland Rugby League. They are coached by Peter Caccioppoli. Between 2000 and 2003 they also competed in the Bartercard Cup.The team are the current holders of...

 in the Auckland Rugby League

Auckland Rugby League

The Auckland Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in the Auckland Region of New Zealand. It is responsible for rugby league in the region and was the owner of Carlaw Park, once the "spiritual home of rugby league in New Zealand".-History:The Auckland Rugby League was...

 competition. He made the Auckland side

Auckland rugby league team

The Auckland rugby league team is the team which traditionally represents all of the clubs which play in the Auckland Rugby League competition. The Auckland Rugby League team has traditionally been a powerhouse of New Zealand domestic rugby league...

 in 1986 and was selected for the New Zealand XIII in 1987.

In 1988 Ropati was part of the Te Atatu Roosters

Te Atatu Roosters

The Te Atatu Roosters is a rugby league club based in Te Atatu. The Roosters compete in the Fox Memorial, the premier division in Auckland Rugby League...

 side that won the Fox Memorial grand final for the first time. He moved to England in 1989, playing for the Leigh Centurions

Leigh Centurions

Leigh Centurions is an English professional rugby league club based in Leigh, Greater Manchester who play in the Co-operative Championship.The club was founded in 1878 as Leigh Rugby Football Club and is one of the original twenty-two clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in...

.

In 1991 Ropati returned to New Zealand for his brother Tea's wedding. On the 29 June he played alongside four of his brothers, Joe

Joe Ropati

Joe Ropati is a New Zealand rugby league player who represented his country in nine Test Matches, including in games that counted towards the 1988 World Cup. Ropati is part of a large rugby league family that includes internationals Iva, Peter, Tea and rugby union international Romi...

, John, Tea

Tea Ropati

Tea Faa'tea Ropati is a former rugby league player who represented New Zealand and Western Samoa...

 and Iva Ropati

Iva Ropati

Iva Lewis Ropati is a former rugby league international player and High School Principal.-Early years:He grew up playing for the Otahuhu Leopards before moving to the Te Atatu Roosters where he won a Fox Memorial premiership. He later played for the Mangere East Hawks before moving to England...

, for the Mangere East Hawks

Mangere East Hawks

The Mangere East Hawks are a rugby league based in Mangere, New Zealand. The Hawks compete in Auckland Rugby League's Fox Memorial competition.-History:The club was founded in 1964, before this teams from the area had been attached to the Otahuhu club...

. It was the only time all five brothers played in the same team.

Later years

Ropati later became a rugby league commentator and fronted Sky Network Television

SKY Network Television

Sky Network Television Limited , , is a New Zealand pay television service. On 30 June 2011, Sky had 829,421 subscribers, which comprises:*808,617 digital subscribers*20,840 other subscribers...

's rugby league coverage for 15 years before being removed in 2010.