I built a SR Telemaster kit back in the day and added a ply box and 35mm film camera, looking our under the left wing.

This plane in a tail dragger config should be no concern regarding ground handling. Tail comes up quickly (as does the whole aircraft), giving you rudder authority. Gentle application of throttle.
I left the vertical fin stock, and added @ an inch to the TE of the rudder.
Tail moment on the SR Telemaster is plenty generous - I would recommend no changes there.

other changes I made:
Bolt-on wing use 4 - 1/4-20 nylon bolts, spruce and ply mounts in the fuse, with brass threaded inserts. spruce hard points in the wing for the bolts to run against.

I installed, but never used, hard points in the wing and fuse for functional wing struts. You may want to consider those, and using spruce wherever possible for wing spars.