{{Short description|Samoa international rugby union player & coach}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=July 2020}} {{Infobox rugby biography | name = Peter Fatialofa | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|MNZM|size=100%}} | image = | birth_name = Peter Momoe Fatialofa | birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1959|4|26}} | birth_place = Auckland, New Zealand | death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|2013|11|6|1959|4|26}} | death_place = Apia, Samoa | occupation = Piano and furniture mover | relatives = DJ Forbes (nephew)<br>John Senio (son-in-law)<ref>[nzherald.co.nz/sport/brotherly-love-pitted-against-sibling-rivalry/5WIJWUUMZ2MHCUGPYH3GWA7V6M/]</ref> | height = {{height|m=1.84}} | weight = {{convert|115|kg|lb|abbr=on}} | ru_position = Prop | provinceyears1 = 1984–1992 | provinceyears2 = 1994–1996 | province1 = Auckland | province2 = Counties Manukau<ref>[https://www.rugbyhistory.co.nz/player/peter-momoe-fatialofa Peter Momoe Fatialofa at New Zealand Rugby History]</ref> | provinceapps1 = 72 | provinceapps2 = 18 | provincepoints1 = 24 | provincepoints2 = 20 | years1 = 1980 | years2 = 1981–96 | years3 = 198?-19?? | years4 = 1994–95 | clubs1 = Grafton | clubs2 = Ponsonby RFC | clubs3 = L'Aquila Rugby | clubs4 = Manurewa | apps1 = | points1 = | repyears1 = 1988–96 | repteam1 = {{nrut|Samoa}} | repcaps1 = 34 | reppoints1 = 15 | coachteams1 = Samoa (''assistant coach'') | coachteams2 = King Country | coachteams3 = East Tamaki RFC | coachyears1 = 1999 | coachyears2 = 2002 | coachyears3 = 2012–2013 }} '''Papali'itele Peter Momoe Fatialofa''' {{post-nominals|country=NZL|MNZM}} (Samoan: ''Pita Fatialofa'') (26 April 1959 – 6 November 2013) was a Samoan rugby player<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espnscrum.com/other/rugby/player/10469.html|title=Peter Fatialofa|publisher=ESPN Scrum|access-date=15 January 2011}}</ref> who captained Samoa in their first Rugby World Cup appearance in 1991. He was among the first of the New Zealand–based players to represent Samoa. He was nicknamed ''Fats''.
==Early life== Fatialofa's father is from Lepa Aleipata, Samoa and his mother from Samoa too, but all his life was raised from his mother's side. Fatialofa was born in Auckland, but returned to Samoa when he was still at primary school.<ref name="SST">{{cite news | title=Fats finds focus for festive final fling | date=10 November 1996 | work= Sunday Star Times | page=5 | first=Phil | last=Gifford }}</ref>
==Career== Fatialofa began his senior rugby career in Auckland playing for the Grafton Club as a 19-year-old<ref name="SST"/> in the Auckland Senior B competition. He transferred to the Ponsonby club in 1981, winning the Gallaher Shield eight times with that team between 1981 and 1995.<ref>{{cite news | title=Rebel who found a cause | date=25 August 1996 | work= Sunday News | page=41 | first=Innes | last=Logan }}</ref> He played 72 representative games for Auckland and was part of their Ranfurly Shield reign from 1985 to 1993. In the late 1980s and in the early 90s, he also played for Modena Rugby and L'Aquila Rugby in Italy.<ref>{{cite web |title=Il pianto dei samoani all'Aquila |url=https://fabioiuliano.it/2009/11/27/il-pianto-dei-samoani-allaquila/ |website=LITHIUM 48 |language=it-IT}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Lutto nel rugby neroverde: si è spento il campione Peter Fatialofa |url=https://federugbyabruzzo.it/index.php?section=news&id=1218-lutto-nel-mondo-del-rugby-neroverde-si-ae-spento-il-campione-peter-fatialofa |website=federugbyabruzzo.it| date=18 November 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Morto il pilone Fatialofa, il cordoglio dei neroverdi. |url=https://www.radiolaquila1.it/2013/11/06/morto-il-pilone-fatialofa-il-cordoglio-dei-neroverdi/ |website=Radio L'Aquila 1 |language=it-IT |date=6 November 2013}}</ref>
Fatialofa debuted for Samoa against Ireland in a test match on 29 October in their 1988 tour of Wales and Ireland. He first captained Samoa in 1989 and led them at the 1991 Rugby World Cup. They lost to Scotland in the quarter-finals 28–6.
Fatialofa last played for Samoa against Fiji in Suva on 20 July 1996. ''Fats: Peter Fatialofa and the Manu Samoa Story'' an autobiography was published and released the same year. He subsequently worked as a director for his family-owned piano and furniture moving business.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.fatsenterprises.co.nz/ |title=Fats Enterprises |access-date=16 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105220912/http://www.fatsenterprises.co.nz/ |archive-date=5 November 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Fatialofa died of a heart attack in Apia on 6 November 2013.<ref name=3News>[https://archive.today/20131106003349/http://www.3news.co.nz/Samoan-rugby-great-Peter-Fatialofa-dies/tabid/415/articleID/320239/Default.aspx%23.UnmJquHIhnE Samoan rugby great Peter Fatialofa dies]. ''3 News NZ''. 6 November 2013.</ref><ref>[http://tvnz.co.nz/rugby-news/legend-peter-fatialofa-dies-aged-54-5685920 TVNZ: Legend Peter Fatialofa dies aged 54]</ref>
==Honours and awards== In the 1996 Queen's Birthday Honours, Fatialofa was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to rugby.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://dpmc.govt.nz/publications/queens-birthday-honours-list-1996 |title=Queen's Birthday honours list 1996 |date=3 June 1996 |publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |access-date=20 July 2020}}</ref>
In 2019, Fatialofa was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame, alongside Richie McCaw, Shiggy Konno, Os du Randt, Sir Graham Henry, and Diego Ormaechea.<ref>[https://www.elobservador.com.uy/nota/historico-diego-ormaechea-es-el-primer-uruguayo-en-el-salon-de-la-fama-del-rugby-2019913103029 New rugbiers in the Hall of Fame]</ref> In 2024, he was an inaugural inductee into the Pasifika Rugby Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/513208/pasifika-hall-of-fame-induction-held-in-auckland |title=Pasifika Hall of Fame induction held in Auckland |date=2 April 2024 |first=Iliesa |last=Tora |work=RNZ News |access-date=11 April 2024}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}} {{Samoa Squad 1999 World Cup}} {{Samoa Squad 1995 World Cup}} {{Samoa Squad 1991 World Cup}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fatialofa, Peter}} Category:1959 births Category:2013 deaths Category:Rugby union players from Auckland Category:New Zealand people of Samoan descent Category:Sportspeople of Samoan descent Category:New Zealand rugby union players Category:Samoan expatriate sportspeople in Italy Category:Samoa international rugby union players Category:Auckland rugby union players Category:Rugby union props Category:Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit Category:1991 Rugby World Cup players Category:1995 Rugby World Cup players Category:Counties Manukau rugby union players Category:World Rugby Hall of Fame inductees