Kevin Ronald Tamati is a New Zealand former rugby league representative player and coach. He played at representative level for New Zealand, New Zealand Maori, Auckland, Central Districts and Wellington, and professionally at club level for Widnes, Warrington and Salford and Chorley Borough in the forwards. He has coached the New Zealand Maori, and professionally for Salford, Chorley Borough/Lancashire Lynx, British Army Rugby League and Whitehaven. He is the cousin of fellow international Howie Tamati.

Born in 1953 of Ngati Kahungunu and Ngati Mutunga descent, Tamati was educated at Hastings Boys' High School. After moving to Wellington in 1971 Tamati took up rugby league, joining the Petone Panthers club. He later played for the Upper Hutt Tigers and the Randwick Kingfishers. He made the Junior Kiwis in 1973. A Wellington based player in the 70s, Tamati made a name for himself as a tough, uncompromising player.

A Wellington representative and New Zealand international, Tamati played 52 times for Wellington and for the Kiwis from 1979 until 1985. He is perhaps best known for his fiery clash with Australian prop Greg Dowling which continued on the sideline after both players had been sent to the sin-bin by French referee Julien Rascagneres. As the players made their way towards the tunnel, Tamati claims he was abused racially by Dowling before the Australian put his hands on him and he snapped. The fists begun flying between the pair once again as Tamati leaned up against the fence right next to the fans. It was one of the great sideline stouches ever seen and wrote Tamati into Kiwi folklore.

It was one of the great Test series’ ever witnessed between the two nations, with Australia winning the first test at Lang Park 26-20. A hard fought 2nd Test saw the Kiwis fall short 10-6, with the New Zealanders winning the dead rubber and final Test, 18-0. Several prominent players, including Clayton Friend, Dean Bell, Hugh McGhan, Olsen Filipaina, and Kevin Tamati, achieved widespread recognition during that period, significantly renewing enthusiasm for rugby league in New Zealand and becoming household names.

Tamati won caps for New Zealand in 1979 against Great Britain (3 matches), in 1980 against Australia (2 matches), and Great Britain (3 matches), and France (2 matches), in 1981 against France, while at Widnes in 1982 against Australia (2 matches), and Papua New Guinea, in 1984 against Great Britain, in 1985 against Australia (2 matches), in 1985 in the 1985–1988 Rugby League World Cup against Australia, in 1985 against Great Britain (interchange/substitute), and in 1985 in the 1985–1988 Rugby League World Cup against Great Britain. In total Tamati playing in 37 games for the Kiwis, including 29 test matches.

Kevin Tamati played in Warrington's 38–10 victory over Halifax in the Premiership Final during the 1985–86 season at Elland Road, Leeds on Sunday 18 May 1986. Tamati played at prop in Widnes' 19–6 victory over Wigan in the 1984 Challenge Cup Final during the 1983–84 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 5 May 1984, in front of a crowd of 80,116. Tamati coached the Salford from 1989 until 1993.

Tamati was employed as a rugby league development officer with Warrington Borough Council for nine years from 1989 to 1997 when he left in 1997 to take up a full-time position coaching the Lancashire Lynx. Tamati had previously been coaching Chorley Borough part-time, but the club's rebirth as the Lancashire Lynx prompted him to take up the roll full-time. Tamati was released by Lynx at end of the 1998 season, after failing to agree a new contract. Tamati then began a two-year spell coaching Whitehaven. In 2006 Tamati was coach of the New Zealand Maori rugby league team. Tamati was the chairman and referee coordinator for Rugby League Hawkes Bay.

Tamati was inducted into the New Zealand Rugby League Legends of League in 1995. He is an Auckland Rugby League Immortal.