WITH his longer-term future at the club now secure, Rodrick Tai has been hailed as “a great pick-up” for Warrington Wolves by Sam Burgess.

And having barely played any top-flight rugby league before joining The Wire, the head coach has hailed the manner in which the centre has adapted both on and off the field.

It was confirmed on Tuesday that the option to extend the Papua New Guinean’s contract with the club had been activated, meaning he is now tied to the club until the end of next season.

On the field, he has contributed impressively since breaking into the side on both sides of the ball, scoring six tries in his 13 appearances and making some key defensive contributions.

That came after his debut was held up by a knee injury suffered during pre-season, having arrived from his homeland with his wife Cynthia.

The couple also welcomed their first-born child shortly after arriving in Warrington so with all things considered, Burgess has been impressed with how Tai has handled the transition

“Rod’s been a great pick-up for us, not only on the field but he’s a real calming influence on the team,” he said.

“He’s happy, he’s over here with his wife and they had their first-born over here so his life has developed while he’s been here in Warrington. His game has developed as well.

“I did my research on him before I came and saw enough to know he was playing at a good standard.

“He’s obviously a very talented player but the standards are really high here and performances have been consistent. With that, there’s been growth in his game.

“I didn’t expect him to hit the ground running – he’s come from Papua New Guinea and Brisbane, and he came straight into an army camp in Kent.

“The acclimatisation for him and adapting to the different fields and training regimes, it was never going to be an overnight thing for Rod but we’ve been really pleased with his development.”