Alf Walker was the father of Harry Newton Walker, the 1953 Springbok. I had great admiration for Alf.

On in years, even in his everyday clothes he looked a strong man, an impressive figure. I could see why he was rated so highly by New Zealand in 1921. He gave me the impression he could have taken on a pack of forwards on his own, as Bubbles Koch once did against Northern Transvaal.

I didn't realise at the time that Harry was his son but when I did, I found it easy to understand where he had got his strength from.

I was told that it was a case of like father, like son, because Alf Walker was as strong in his day as Harry was in his.

A man not to be trifled with - he feared no one.