Born: December 1, 1938 - Huntly
Died: May 6, 2023 - Canberra, Australia
Test record: 11 Tests (1965-68) - 3 tries, 11 goals (31 points)
Tours: 1965 tour of Britain and France, 1967 tour of Australia, 1968 World Cup
Versatile Waikato product Roger Tait broke into the Kiwis line-up from Glenora, playing 11 Tests at fullback, centre and five-eighth from 1965-68.
A star for the Huntly club in the late-1950s and early-1960s, Tait represented Waikato against France, Australia and Great Britain. He joined Glenora in 1963 and turned out for Auckland on the wing against South Africa that year.
In 1965 Tait was one of two Auckland fullbacks chosen - alongside Test mainstay Jack Fagan - in the 1965 Kiwis squad to tour Britain and France. He scored a try on debut against Bradford Northern and produced some strong goalkicking performances in tour matches, which saw him oust Fagan for the fullback spot for the first Test against Great Britain.
Tait kicked New Zealand's only points in a 7-2 loss in Manchester. Fagan was recalled for the second Test but Tait received a recall at centre for the third encounter, scoring the Kiwis' only try in a 9-all draw at Wigan's Central Park. The 26-year-old lined up at centre again in the first two Tests against France and finished the tour with 74 points (four tries, 31 goals).
With Fagan retired, Tait was chosen at fullback for the series opener against the 1966 Lions - but after missing all four shots at goal in a 25-8 loss, he made way in a reshuffled backline for the second Test. He returned to the Test line-up on the 1967 tour of Australia, playing fullback in the first two matches - kicking two goals in a 22-13 loss at the SCG and scoring a try and kicking five goals at Lang Park - before being moved to five-eighth and scoring all of New Zealand's points (one try, three goals) in a 13-9 dead-rubber loss in Sydney.
Tait returned to Waikato for the 1968 season and was named vice-captain of New Zealand's World Cup squad. He played fullback against France, came off the bench against Australia and was at five-eighth against Great Britain as the Kiwis went through the tournament winless.
After spending 1969 with Papakura, Tait ventured to the ACT and had captain-coach stints with Woden Valley Rams and Queanbeyan Kangaroos, as well as playing for Valley Statesmen, in a decade in the Canberra area. He remained there after hanging up the boots, passing away in 2023.