GEATEST FULLBACK

Feilding Star, Volume 7, Issue 2304, 5 September 1929, Page 4

GEATEST FULLBACK

GEORGE NF.PIA DISCUSSED

STRENGTH OF BRITISH TEAM

“Apparently the All Blacks nrf > having some terrific struggles in Australia,” writes Mr (’. \V. Packford in Sporting Life, London, “and those of us wlio remember that human battering rain, George Nopin, are glad to (see that he is playing in the same courageous and successful manner as lie did when over here a season (or so ago. ft will always ibo a. debatable point- a> to whether Nopia was not the finest fullback', who' ever lived. I know that SS . W. Wakefield considers him the best he ha.; ever seen, and ‘Waivers’ came across som« good men in his time. The old Rugger men, cannot, however, he convinced that he was hotter than Qamlin, Bancroft,and Johnstone, three of the moot famous men of. the past,. From what one reads, and my ‘Rugger’ friends in New Zealand Australia, keep me in regular toilcli with matter over there, there will not apparently he many, if any at all of the famous invincible All Blacks to face the British'team that is going to the Antipodes in charge of James Baxter, at the end of 1930 .season.

But. Bugger was never so strong in New Zealand as. it is to-day— J have not heard much as to the prospect of Australia, although Tom Lawton is

expected to> play for them—and they arg undoubtedly cultivating youthful (player,? of the Stark Nieholls and Brownlie type. Tins means that it i r ; vitally necessary that only the strongest available combination must make the tour. By this 1 mean that our men must he selected on form and not for sentimental reasons. Not to do this would be to court disaster, and we do not desire* this to happen now that there is a, distinct advance in (he game in the Home' unions.”