HE HAD GIVEN it so much thought, and been asked about it at every press conference for the last 12 months, but when the time came to tell the world of his decision to retire from rugby, Rory Best found it all a bit surreal yesterday.
Accompanied by his wife, Jodie, and three young children, the Ulster and Ireland captain was visibly emotional as the reality of retirement hit him in front of the cameras and microphones.
Rory Best pictured at Kingspan Stadium yesterday. Tommy Dickson / INPHO
Tommy Dickson / INPHO / INPHO
While it had already been confirmed that Best would call time on his international career after the World Cup later this year, the 36-year-old had hoped to give it one last hurrah with Ulster next season, so announcing that he will bow out completely in November was difficult.
Best struggled to hold back the tears at various stages during the 30-minute press conference at Kingspan Stadium yesterday as his young family watched on, but could draw immense pride and comfort from his achievements and the fact he has known for the last six months that the time is right to call it a day.
“I think the family wanted me to go on for a bit longer,” he laughed. “Our Ben had earmarked the South Africa tour with the Lions [in 2021] and Richie has assured me when he plays rugby he’s never going to retire.
“It’ll be nice to spend more time with them, the weekends especially. Just to do stuff with them. Even coming back early from Edinburgh last Saturday and getting to watch Ben play a bit of rugby and Penny over doing gymnastics and those are the sort of things when you’re being selfish and trying to play at the top level, you miss a lot of those. They’ve sacrificed a lot for me to be successful.
They’ve been incredible. They go absolutely everywhere. I’ve told the story before about me taking the kids to watch Jodie play hockey and I couldn’t get from Guildford to Armagh, never mind Australia, New Zealand, Chicago. That support has been invaluable to me to allow me to be successful.
It was fitting that Best had his family with him yesterday as he let his guard down and allowed the world in, reflecting on the highs and lows of his 15 years with Ulster and considered what the next chapter entails.
“I don’t think you ever dream you’ll go this far,” he said, pausing briefly to keep his emotions in check.
“Rugby had just turned professional when I started and you then realise you can actually make a living out of something you love doing. Then you get your first cap and you sort of dream and then you get to 50 for Ulster, and 100, 150, 200 and you do the one cap with Ireland, and then 50 there.
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“It’s hard to believe rugby has given me so much and I’m very grateful for what it has given me and I’d like to think I’ve given a little bit back along the way. I’m incredibly proud of what I’ve achieved.”
Following his debut for Ulster in 2004, Best has made 219 appearances for his native province, scoring 23 tries, and is the club’s most-capped international with 116 Ireland games to his name.
Bowing out on his own terms, he says, has always been important and that makes this decision that bit easier to swallow.
“That has always been the important thing. When you get to a stage in your career when you work hard to get there, you get to a point where you start to see people drifting out the back door and I always wanted to leave on my terms and to finish whenever I felt I was near or at the top of the game. I’m glad to be here now and proud of what I’ve achieved.
Best's son, Richie, watches the press conference. Tommy Dickson / INPHO
Tommy Dickson / INPHO / INPHO
“It’s a happy decision for me. I’m content with my contribution to Ulster and I’m hoping there’s still another three good games in me.”
He faces a race against time to play for Ulster again. The ankle injury Best sustained against Leinster has not healed yet and with the province’s Pro14 quarter-final against Connacht less than a fortnight away, the hooker is aware that he may have played his last game in white.
But he doesn’t agree with the assertion that his retirement marks the end of an era for the province.
“There are disappointments along the way and there are times when you have opportunities to go somewhere else and maybe have seen other players go away and succeed or maybe win silverware. You sort of wonder and there are ifs and buts but at the same time, the support you get here is phenomenal.
“I’ve seen a lot of change here over the years, the stadium being one. It’s not the end of an era because Ulster Rugby will go on. It was very successful long before me and it’ll be very successful long after me but I think when you give so much to something, it’s very difficult to say goodbye to it.”
Before the final goodbye, Best has the small matter of a World Cup on the horizon. How he would dearly love for a big send-off with Ireland in Japan.
“Just because you dream it doesn’t mean it’s going to happen,” he says. “If it finishes on a dream finish like that, brilliant, but if it doesn’t and we can look at each other in the eye afterwards and say we gave it absolutely everything, there’s a lot to be said for that too.”
Best says he would find punditry difficult — ‘I would find it really hard to be critical of this place as it has done a lot for me’ — but coaching is a path he may look to go down once the curtain falls on his decorated playing career in the Autumn.
“It’s something I’ve talked a bit to Jodie about and she’s very keen for me not to just walk away completely from the game, and ultimately as usual she’s right,” Best adds.
I really enjoyed Tuesday nights with Banbridge. I might do it from November to end of season just to see if it’s something I’d like. I do love rugby, I’ve always loved rugby.
What about a job on Dan McFarland’s coaching team here?
“I don’t know, that’s for someone higher up the food chain than me. The coaching set-up is very much fixed up for next season.
“I don’t know if something is there but to be honest, I’d be interested in hearing all options. Not just within Ulster. I’d like to think I have a bit to offer.”
Gavan Casey and Murray Kinsella are joined by Andy Dunne to preview the Champions Cup semi-finals and all the week’s news on the latest episode of The42 Rugby Weekly:
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'When you give so much to something, it's hard to say goodbye to it'
HE HAD GIVEN it so much thought, and been asked about it at every press conference for the last 12 months, but when the time came to tell the world of his decision to retire from rugby, Rory Best found it all a bit surreal yesterday.
Accompanied by his wife, Jodie, and three young children, the Ulster and Ireland captain was visibly emotional as the reality of retirement hit him in front of the cameras and microphones.
While it had already been confirmed that Best would call time on his international career after the World Cup later this year, the 36-year-old had hoped to give it one last hurrah with Ulster next season, so announcing that he will bow out completely in November was difficult.
Best struggled to hold back the tears at various stages during the 30-minute press conference at Kingspan Stadium yesterday as his young family watched on, but could draw immense pride and comfort from his achievements and the fact he has known for the last six months that the time is right to call it a day.
“I think the family wanted me to go on for a bit longer,” he laughed. “Our Ben had earmarked the South Africa tour with the Lions [in 2021] and Richie has assured me when he plays rugby he’s never going to retire.
“It’ll be nice to spend more time with them, the weekends especially. Just to do stuff with them. Even coming back early from Edinburgh last Saturday and getting to watch Ben play a bit of rugby and Penny over doing gymnastics and those are the sort of things when you’re being selfish and trying to play at the top level, you miss a lot of those. They’ve sacrificed a lot for me to be successful.
It was fitting that Best had his family with him yesterday as he let his guard down and allowed the world in, reflecting on the highs and lows of his 15 years with Ulster and considered what the next chapter entails.
“I don’t think you ever dream you’ll go this far,” he said, pausing briefly to keep his emotions in check.
“Rugby had just turned professional when I started and you then realise you can actually make a living out of something you love doing. Then you get your first cap and you sort of dream and then you get to 50 for Ulster, and 100, 150, 200 and you do the one cap with Ireland, and then 50 there.
“It’s hard to believe rugby has given me so much and I’m very grateful for what it has given me and I’d like to think I’ve given a little bit back along the way. I’m incredibly proud of what I’ve achieved.”
Following his debut for Ulster in 2004, Best has made 219 appearances for his native province, scoring 23 tries, and is the club’s most-capped international with 116 Ireland games to his name.
Bowing out on his own terms, he says, has always been important and that makes this decision that bit easier to swallow.
“That has always been the important thing. When you get to a stage in your career when you work hard to get there, you get to a point where you start to see people drifting out the back door and I always wanted to leave on my terms and to finish whenever I felt I was near or at the top of the game. I’m glad to be here now and proud of what I’ve achieved.
“It’s a happy decision for me. I’m content with my contribution to Ulster and I’m hoping there’s still another three good games in me.”
He faces a race against time to play for Ulster again. The ankle injury Best sustained against Leinster has not healed yet and with the province’s Pro14 quarter-final against Connacht less than a fortnight away, the hooker is aware that he may have played his last game in white.
But he doesn’t agree with the assertion that his retirement marks the end of an era for the province.
“There are disappointments along the way and there are times when you have opportunities to go somewhere else and maybe have seen other players go away and succeed or maybe win silverware. You sort of wonder and there are ifs and buts but at the same time, the support you get here is phenomenal.
“I’ve seen a lot of change here over the years, the stadium being one. It’s not the end of an era because Ulster Rugby will go on. It was very successful long before me and it’ll be very successful long after me but I think when you give so much to something, it’s very difficult to say goodbye to it.”
Before the final goodbye, Best has the small matter of a World Cup on the horizon. How he would dearly love for a big send-off with Ireland in Japan.
“Just because you dream it doesn’t mean it’s going to happen,” he says. “If it finishes on a dream finish like that, brilliant, but if it doesn’t and we can look at each other in the eye afterwards and say we gave it absolutely everything, there’s a lot to be said for that too.”
Best says he would find punditry difficult — ‘I would find it really hard to be critical of this place as it has done a lot for me’ — but coaching is a path he may look to go down once the curtain falls on his decorated playing career in the Autumn.
“It’s something I’ve talked a bit to Jodie about and she’s very keen for me not to just walk away completely from the game, and ultimately as usual she’s right,” Best adds.
What about a job on Dan McFarland’s coaching team here?
“I don’t know, that’s for someone higher up the food chain than me. The coaching set-up is very much fixed up for next season.
“I don’t know if something is there but to be honest, I’d be interested in hearing all options. Not just within Ulster. I’d like to think I have a bit to offer.”
Gavan Casey and Murray Kinsella are joined by Andy Dunne to preview the Champions Cup semi-finals and all the week’s news on the latest episode of The42 Rugby Weekly:
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Besty Rory Best