Sid Going: Unity central to Ranfurly success

Former North Auckland captain Sid Going was a vital element to his side's 1971-72 Ranfurly Shield winning mix. Photo/ File

As a rugby player "Super Sid" Going was known for his snakey speed, tactical nous, brushstrokes of brilliance and tendency to elude.

Therefore, it's no wonder that tracking down the now 71-year-old All Black and North Auckland legend is an art in itself.

So immersed is Going in his current role, as president of the Hamilton New Zealand Temple, that his energies are less focused towards rugby nowadays - so much so that he wasn't aware his beloved Northland province are preparing to take on Hawke's Bay for the Ranfurly Shield, at Napier's McLean Park tomorrow.

"Are Northland playing for it this week are they?" he asks.

"Ah, I wasn't aware of that. I'm not really keeping in touch with things that much at this stage with what I'm doing."

The Goings and the Ranfurly Shield are two topics to have sparked numerous conversations around many a bar-leaner over the years.

Alongside his brothers Ken and Brian, "Super Sid" was a destructive halfback on all accounts.

Vivacious on attack and with the ability to turn a game on its head, the Kawakawa-born lad was bred to play test rugby.

More important, however, was his presence as captain of North Auckland during one of the golden era's of Northland rugby.

Spanning a period between 1965 and 1978, Going's efforts on the footy pitch enshrined him as one of the best ever to emerge from the Kauri-laden North.

"Winning it was the greatest thing," the 110-cap Northland veteran recalls of taking the Ranfurly Shield off Auckland in 1971.

"It was so long ago it's so hard to remember," he laughs.

"I think it was a great boost for all of Northland. We had everybody lining up on the streets of Whangarei before each challenge - there was a lot of excitement around."

In it's heydey Okara Park would come to life during North Auckland games. Photo/ File

If winning the Ranfurly was "the greatest thing", defending it on the hallowed turf of Okara Park came a close second.

"We played well as a team, we had individual stars but we backed each other," Going says.

"It was the spirit of togetherness. Okara Park was a lovely field, it was a lovely place to play and it was a great atmosphere when we had that park full."

When asked of the Northland side's chances of bringing the "Log o' Wood" back to Northland after an absence of close to 40 years, Going delivers a terse analysis of their chances in Napier.

"I wish them luck. I think it'll be a challenge for them," he says, with an emphasis on unity being central to a team's success in tense situations.