Rory Best

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Rory Best
Rory Best 2015 RWC.jpg
Best playing for Ireland during the 2015 World Cup
Full name Rory Best
Date of birth (1982-08-15) 15 August 1982 (age 41)
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

Club/Provincial

Best appearing for Ulster in 2010 Magner's League match versus Ospreys

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


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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  2. [1][dead link]
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External links