Rugby: Going gone for Northland's NPC season

Jared Going's injury bogey has hit again, ruling the first five-eighth out for the rest of a Northland NPC rugby campaign that is already under strain.

Going has been ruled out with a medial knee ligament strain, the season-ending injury coming after a shoulder strain that kept him out of the New Zealand sevens team at the Commonwealth Games earlier this year.

It was just another blow to Northland ahead of their Ranfurly Shield match against Canterbury in Christchurch on Friday night.

Captain Glenn Taylor was one of a handful of players unable to train last night, along with prop Con Barrell, hooker Jason Hammond and winger Rupeni Caucaunibuca.

Taylor was kept from training with a dose the 'flu. The rest were carrying a myriad of bumps and bruises from last week's game against Taranaki.

Then prop Mike Storey pulled up lame with a knee strain that may yet keep him out of Friday's match as well.

The injuries kept Woodward from naming a starting team last night but he was hoping to confirm his team at training tomorrow.

"We need to give Mike (Storey) 24 hours to see how he pulls through. The first 24 hours will be crucial to see if the damage is serious," Woodward said.

"Jared (Going) is out for the season, we are not going to replace him for the moment with Hayden Taylor covering that spot, but we'll see how we go," Woodward said.

But Northland weren't alone in facing injuries with All Blacks winger Caleb Ralph almost certainly out for Canterbury.

Ralph left the field with a tight hamstring in the first half against Waikato at Hamilton last Saturday.

Canterbury coach Aussie McLean said Ralph was "probably going to be out this week".

Ralph's replacement, Alisi Tupuailei, showed an excellent fending technique to score his third try in four NPC matches.

McLean and co-coach Ian Mallard were philosophical after the 41-59 loss to Waikato. McLean said the Canterbury players were "still hurting".

Woodward was also a little more positive after reviewing Northland's loss to Taranaki, saying the workrate of players had improved but that turnovers had cost his side yet again.

"That's why we worked hard on making sure we protect the ball going into the tackle.

"If we can hold the ball and attack who knows, we may score four tries and get a bonus point against Canterbury," he said.

"It is a Ranfurly Shield Challenge and we have nothing to lose."