Damage to knee sidelines de Goldi

By WYNNE GRAY

Flanker Craig de Goldi, who was being considered to start his first NPC match for Auckland against his former Bay of Plenty union on Sunday, instead will miss the rest of the competition.

De Goldi was carried from the field with a knee injury in the derby match with North Harbour and it was confirmed yesterday that he will need surgery.

"He has a season-ending injury and will have an operation in a few weeks once the swelling has gone down," coach Wayne Pivac said.

"We were hoping for the best, but when I saw Craig go down and stay down, it did not look too good. He has been to see the surgeon and there is a fair amount of ligament damage."

De Goldi was a national sevens representative who transferred from Bay of Plenty in late 2000.

He came on as a substitute for Auckland in their NPC semifinal against Canterbury last season and had two runs as a sub this year before injuring his left knee late in Auckland's 43-7 victory against Harbour.

"It is a shame because he was really beginning to put pressure on others, and he can play either side of the scrum," Pivac said.

"He was good enough to start and that was certainly an option being looked at this weekend."

Auckland will now look for cover from either NZ Colt Sione Lauaki or Angus MacDonald.

Harbour halfback and captain Mark Robinson underwent some psychometric testing yesterday after being knocked out in the same game.

Those results will be compared with the assessments done on him, and most top players, earlier in the season and if those are favourable he will undergo some physical testing to see if he can return against Wellington at Albany on Saturday night.

Waikato hooker Greg Smith has been cleared to play in the last round after being tested following a head knock.

Concussion became more of a discussion topic this season after All Black fullback Leon MacDonald suffered damage on multiple occasions and was advised to rest for much of the NPC.

He was first hurt in the Super 12, then he was knocked out against Fiji and, after a lengthy rest, suffered the same fate in the final Tri-Nations test against the Springboks in Durban.

If there is a comeback NPC match for MacDonald it has not been identified.

* Bristol-bound All Black midfielder Daryl Gibson will have his broken nose re-set today. Gibson suffered the injury in the first half of his farewell NPC match for Canterbury against Southland on Saturday.

He has signed a two-year contract with the Bristol Shoguns club, coached by former All Black selector Peter Thorburn.