NEPIA BRILLIANT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 133, 7 June 1935, Page 12

NEPIA BRILLIANT.

GREAT GAME AT NAPIER. ALL BLACK TRIAL IN MUD. HAWKE'S BAY BACKS SHINE. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) HASTINGS. Thursday. Owing to heavy rain the All Black trial match between combined teams from Hawke's Bay and Bush on the one side and Poverty Bay, East Coast and Bay of Plenty on the other, did not afford the players or the four New Zealand selectors a fair opportunity. The playing area at McLean Park, Napier, was partly under water even before the game commenced, play took place in continuous rain, and the ground became a quagmire. The southern backs quite outclassed the northern rearguard—Apsey, Smith and Le Quesne (all Hawke's Bay) showing surprisingly good form in the circumstances. The outstanding figure of the game was George Nepia, who played full-back for the northern side. He contributed eight points, his goal-kicking being meritorious, while his general play was such as to ensure him further consideration. The conditions made selection of the forwards almost an impossibility, the best being Reid. Mataira and Rolls (Hawke's Bav), Pohipi (Bay of Plenty), Martin and Matheson (Poverty Bay), Reedy (East Coast) and Olliver (Bush). The final score was 22—14 in favour of Hawke's Bay-Bush, the scorers being:— For Hawke's Bay%»ish: Smith, two tries; Le Quesno, Reid. Dalton, Mitchell, a tiy each, Reid and Udy converting one For Poverty Bay-East Coast-Bay of Plenty: Nepia kicked two penalty goals and a conversion, and Martin and Reedy each secured a try.