Education, sport have Tai poised for success

Former Hagen Park Secondary School student Roderick Tai completed a bachelor’s degree in science (applied physics with electronics and instrumentation) at the University of Technology in Lae this year. He will graduate next year.

By MICHAEL PHILIP
HE was in eighth grade when he fell in love with the country’s greatest game of all – rugby league – in his hometown of Mt Hagen, Western Highlands.
Today, Roderick Tai is a premiership-winning centre for Lae Tigers, who beat Waghi Tumbe in this year’s Digicel Cup grand final at the Oil Search National Football Stadium in Port Moresby.
Tai’s early childhood was spent in the neighbouring Engan capital of Wabag, where he did his elementary to primary education just watching National Rugby League (NRL) matches on TV or Digicel Cup matches whenever they came to town.
In 2013, while doing Grade Eight, he decide to try the sport, which many of his friends and youths were into, and joined a schools rugby league programme.
The rugby league journey for the Hagen native began there.
“Being a kid in primary school, we always loved to watch the NRL and also our local Digicel Cup games in town,” 23-year-old Tai said.
“So when I was in Grade Eight, I decide to give rugby league a shot, so I started playing schools rugby league.
“But at first, I had no intention of playing rugby league.”
Balancing education and sports became a habit of Tai, who passed his Grade Eight exams and was offered a space at Hagen Park Secondary School to do Grades Nine and 10 in 2014 and 2015.
While in Mt Hagen, he continued his commitment to his studies and sports.
“When I was selected to continue Grade Nine in Hagen, to me it was an opportunity to compete with everyone in education and sports,” Tai said.
“But what mattered was my commitment and time allocation to both areas.

**Lae Tigers back Roderick Tai taking on the Waghi Tumbe defence in the Digicel Cup grand final at the Oil Search National Football Stadium in Port Moresby last season. – Nationalfilepics**

“I needed to balance both of them.”
Commitment towards his studies and sports saw Tai secure a space in Grade 11 after he passed his Grade 10 exams in 2015.
In 2017, he graduated from Hagen Park Secondary School and was fortunate to get an offer from the University of Technology to pursue a bachelor of science in applied physics with electronics and instrumentation in 2018.
“When you’re doing two things at the same time and the results are always positive, you will love to continue doing it,” Tai said.

**Western Highlander Roderick Tai has been with the Lae Biscuit Company-sponsored Tigers for the past three seasons.**

“So to me, I was so thrilled when offered a space at Unitech to continue my studies, and the love of rugby league helped get me over the line.
“The passion to study and play sports was overwhelming.
“I told myself that this was the time I needed to show everyone that I could play in the Digicel Cup.”
He entered Unitech in 2018 and continued playing in the school competitions until 2019 when the Tigers identified his talent and invited him to pre-season training at the Lae Biscuit Company-sponsored club.
Tai performed well during pre-season training and was able to cement a spot in the Tigers squad for the 2019 season.
“I was waiting patiently for a Digicel Cup opportunity when the Tigers came knocking,” he said.
“The opportunity to be part of a great team was too good to refuse.”
The fleet-footed centre made his Digicel cup debut in 2019 in the No.4 jersey and helped his side beat Hela Wigmen 15-4 in the grand final at the National Football Stadium.

**Lae Tigers centre Roderick Tai started playing rugby league while he was doing Grade Eight. – Pictures supplied**

Tai has been coach Stanley Tepend’s go-to man in the No.4 jersey for the last three seasons.
He played in the 2019, 2020 and 2021 grandfinals and won two of them.
“I am very happy with my teammates,” Tai said.
“Even though most of them were still in their debut seasons, they played well all season.

**Tigers’ Roderick Tai attempting to stop the Tumbe defence from driving winger Joshua Lau back in a tackle.**

**Tiger Roderick Tai has played in three straight grand finals since his 2019 debut season.**

“As a result, we won the premiership, so credit to my teammates.”
He is grateful to the Tigers coaching staff for their support in helping young talents like him succeed and push for selection in the SP Hunters and Papua New Guinea Kumuls.
Making the national men’s rugby league team would complete the Mt Hagen native’s dream.
Tai paid tribute to those who helped him to be the player that he was today.
He thanked his family in Mt Hagen and Lae, and his Unitech course mates, for their help and advice in juggling his studies and rugby league.
He said he was looking forward to more success with the Tigers, and achieving more goals.
Tai completed his four years of studies at Unitech this year, and said he was excited to graduate next year.