Rory Best
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Best playing for Ireland during the 2015 World Cup | |||
Full name | Rory Best | ||
---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | 15 August 1982 | ||
Place of birth | Craigavon, Northern Ireland | ||
Height | Lua error in Module:Convert at line 1851: attempt to index local 'en_value' (a nil value). | ||
Weight | 110 kilograms (17 st 5 lb) | ||
School | Portadown College | ||
University | Newcastle University | ||
Rugby union career | |||
Current status | |||
Position(s) | Hooker | ||
Current team | Ulster | ||
Playing career | |||
Position | Hooker | ||
Amateur clubs | |||
Years | Club / team | ||
Banbridge | |||
Professional / senior clubs | |||
Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
2004- | Ulster | 167 | (80) |
correct as of 5 September 2015. | |||
National team(s) | |||
Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
2010 2005- 2013 |
Wolfhounds Ireland British and Irish Lions |
1 89 0 |
(0) (40) (0) |
correct as of 18 October 2015. |
Rory Best (born 15 August 1982) is an Irish rugby union footballer. He was raised in Poyntzpass. He plays at the position of Hooker for Ulster and is registered for Banbridge RFC.
Career
Contents
Club/Provincial
Best was educated at Tandragee Junior High School, Portadown College and studied Agriculture at Newcastle University where he played with the Newcastle Falcons academy. He returned home to join Belfast Harlequins in 2002 where he captained the team and gained his first Ulster contract in 2004.[1] He made his debut for Ulster as a replacement at home to Munster in the 2005 Celtic League. He replaced his brother Simon as captain of Ulster for the 2007/08 season[2] and continues to hold the position. He is renowned for his abilities as a scrummager.[3] Best missed the entire 2009/10 season due to surgery on a chronic disc problem.[4] Best scored two tries in 2011/12 and 2010/11 for Ulster.
International
Best made his international debut for Ireland as a replacement against the All Blacks at Lansdowne Road in November 2005 and made his first start against the Springboks in 2006. He has been involved with the national team ever since, initially sharing the number 2 shirt with Jerry Flannery. He was a member of the Irish teams that won the 2007 Triple Crown and was in the Irish Squad for the 2007 Rugby World Cup[5] as well as the 2009 Six Nations Championship which completed the Grand Slam. He captained the Ireland team that toured North America in 2009, while many of his Ireland team-mates were on the British and Irish Lions team that began their tour of South Africa at the same time.
He has been ever-present for Ireland, and became undisputed first-choice Hooker at the 2011 Rugby World Cup after an injury to Jerry Flannery. He was chosen to captain Ireland during the 2012 Six Nations Championship after Paul O'Connell was injured.
Best was added to the British and Irish Lions squad for the 2013 British and Irish Lions tour to Australia on 26 May[6] after English Hooker Dylan Hartley was removed from the squad after receiving a red card in the Aviva Premiership final for abuse of an official on 25 May 2013.[7]
Honours
Ireland
- Six Nations Championship:
- Grand Slam:
- Winner (1): 2009
Personal life
Best was raised on the family farm near Poyntzpass, County Armagh. He got married in Richhill, County Armagh during the summer of 2009, to a teacher at the Armstrong Primary School, of hockey and a primary seven class, name Jodie Bell, now Jodie Best. His brother is retired Ireland and Ulster prop Simon Best. His first child, Ben, was born on 23 June 2010.
References
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- ↑ [1][dead link]
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External links
- Articles with dead external links from June 2013
- EngvarB from August 2013
- Use dmy dates from August 2013
- 1982 births
- Living people
- Belfast Harlequins rugby union players
- Ireland international rugby union players
- Irish rugby union players
- People educated at Portadown College
- Rugby union hookers
- Ulster Rugby players
- British and Irish Lions rugby union players from Ireland