Rugby: Skipper set for challenge

Matt Moulds has been deemed fit to play on Sunday.

Northland ITM Cup captain Matt Moulds has shrugged off a potential wrist injury to keep himself in the frame for Sunday's Ranfurly Shield challenge against Hawke's Bay.

Touching down for Northland's first try in the opening stanza of last week's pre-season fixture against Waikato, Moulds then faced a precarious situation as he was raced off the pitch for a scan on his wrist just 15-20 minutes into the first half.

With medical staff deeming the injury a sprain, head coach Richie Harris said Moulds should be present for Sunday's ITM Cup opener.

"Mouldsy's wrist is just a sprain, all good for Sunday," Harris said.

"He went off for a precautionary X-ray on his wrist. Gut feel was that it was just a sprain, he took it light today, will take it light again on Wednesday and will be good for Sunday."

Clearing that hurdle, the Taniwha were put through vigorous drills at training yesterday as they worked hard for the remaining spots in the playing side to travel to Hawke's Bay on Saturday morning.

"It was a bit of a physical training at the start," Harris said of yesterday's training.

"There's a few spots up for grabs still and the boys know that. We'll look to name a team on Wednesday internally and really hook into it."

With less than a week left, Harris said the Waikato fixture was a fitting end to the pre-season.

"It sort of helped us with selection for sure. We identified players who are working in the direction that we want them to and ones that are a little more behind it."

Back in the squad this week is Highlanders loose forward and Northland co-captain Dan Pryor.

At training yesterday, Pryor got through some drills but was reduced to light contact as he is still on the mend after dislocating his elbow against the Chiefs during the Super Rugby season.

While Harris said Pryor "definitely won't be playing Hawke's Bay", he did confirm that, all going well, Pryor and first-five Dan Bowden could make a return in week four of the ITM Cup if their rehabilitation programmes went well.

Also back in the Northland squad and training yesterday was Jack Ram, who is fighting fit off the back of his stint with Tonga at the Pacific Nations Cup.

Tonga name their Rugby World Cup squad in the next few days so Ram could be a late omission from the opening round.