NEPIA AND LEAGUE.

Thames Star, Volume LIX, Issue 16623, 20 October 1925, Page 7

NEPIA AND LEAGUE.

A PROPOSED COUP. DID HE APPROACH OFFICIALS? ENGLISH PAPER’S STATEMENT. Following upon reports from New Zealand concerning the motor-accident to George Nepia, some time ago, the London Sporting Life and Sportsmen made, last month, some interesting statements concerning the fullback’s negotiations with officials of English League, clubs. “Within a. few hours of the an- | nouncement that George Nepia, the famous full-back of the New Zealand team that toured these isles last season and won every encounter which they played, was in negotiation with a Rugby League (Northern Union) club, came a cable with the news that he had been so seriously injured in a motor-car accident that was extremely improbable he would ever play Rugby football again,” says the paper. “The fact that he was considering, or would consider, an offer to come to England was not a surprise to us, for some three months ago Nepia, through a personal friend, approached the editor of the Sporting Life and Sportsman with a view to being put into communication with one of the leading Northern League clubs. “it appears that when Nepia was in Dublin playing against Ireland he was visited by a representative of one of the Northern League organisations, who offered him £ISOO for signing on, and a. substantial amount for each match in which he played. At the time the New Zealander would not consider the offer, but since his return, on altering his mind, found that he had mislaid the address of. the club that desired ,his services. ASKED FOR ADDRESS. “In these circumstances, he asked tha we should put him into communication with this particular club, or any other in the Rugby League who would offer him similar terms. “If Nepia does eventually arrive over here to take a part in the professional side of the game lie will be an asset to the fortunate side '.bat secures his services. No plaver in the 1924 New Zealand eomoi.iicnn did more to attain for it a chci idled record. He was the only member of the team to play in every match, and his fearlessness in defence and ability to open up an attack made him invaluable. “There was hardly a match, intex*national or .otherwise, in which Nepia, A. E. Cooke, and Mark Nicholls, were not the outstanding members of the back division, just as Maurice and Cyril Brownlie and J. Richardson were generally the best of the forwards. “Nepia has bchn compared ,not adversely, with those giants of the last line of defence in the past. This can hardly be done, for the reason that Nepia was playing behind a different formation altogether, and was covered far better than were such men as H. T. Hamlin, W. R. Johnstone, or W. J. Bancroft.

“He will, however, go down in Rugby history as an attractive, lionhearted player who rendered a classic combination inestimable service.” MESSAGE IN CODE. Another prominent sporting journal lias the following to say:— “There is now no room to doubt that the Hxdl Football Club is the Yorkshire club that has made overtures to George Nepia, the All Blacks’ full-back. This much is now admitted by the Hxdl secx’etai’y, Mr. A. Charlesworth, who, however, has received no news of the reported injury sustained by the young Maori, nor is that official willing to say how far his club has proceeded with the negotiations. It came as a great surprise to the authorities at the Boulevard when the news leaked out that efforts were being made to acquire the services of the Hawke’s Bay player. in conseqxience of the delicate nature of the proceedings connected wrth t%e proposed coup 'it was believed that the utmost secrecy was being observed in both countries, and it is undei-stood that all correspondence had taken place under seal, and cablegrams were in code to prevent any leakage. The Hull officials are hopeful that Nepia’s injuries will not prevent him from coining to England in the event of sanction to play football here being given by the New Zealand Rugby League. Though the Hull club decline to state the terms offered to the New Zealander, there is no doubt that they constitute a record in the professional handling game.”