This hooker central to Irish operations

INTERVIEW RORY BEST: Gavin Cummiskeytalks to the Ulster captain who has been elevated to the core group of senior players who ensure Declan Kidney's plans are carried out on the field

THE BEST family farm is located near Poyntzpass on the borderline between Armagh and Down. An upbringing in that particular agricultural environment is proving ideal for the breeding of frontrowers.

Rory Best is the resident Ireland hooker and Ulster captain, making it unsurprising to learn of his elevation to the core group of senior players that meets with Declan Kidney’s management on a regular basis.

“Whenever decisions are made on the Monday or Tuesday evening, we have a meeting with the four of us and the coaches that make these decisions.

“It is nice to be a part of a team, I suppose learning as a captain, to see how the Lions captain(s), the Irish captain and one of Munster’s greatest outhalves look at things and read into things, I try to take on board as much as I can.”

That reveals the other members of the quartet as Brian O’Driscoll, pack leader Paul O’Connell and Ronan O’Gara, who, until recently was the primary decision-maker.

That O’Gara and Best, until Jerry Flannery’s suspension anyway, are by no means guaranteed starting roles must bring greater resonance to their actions as chief-lieutenants.

The Flannery affair has been well documented and his six-week suspension should have precipitated an Ireland hooking crisis for the remainder of the Six Nations, considering Best was ruled out for the season last August after suffering a chronic disc problem.

How did you damage your neck again? “Just literally twisted it to get out of the shower . . . ”

It was in the pipeline, evidently? “Yeah, it was wear and tear. It was one of those things the surgeon said he had seen before and it could have happened recently or (developed) over a number of months or years, or I could have always had it. You just don’t know. But it was probably just my body’s way of saying that we need to take a rest here, get yourself ready and go again.”

Considering the sudden retirement of elder brother Simon due to a heart scare at the 2007 Rugby World Cup, it seemed cruel to see a second brother threatened by a similar fate.

“After the operation I had a review every four weeks with Niall Eames, the surgeon, and he gave me guidelines to stay within in order to get back.

“To give credit to Jonny Davies (Ulster conditioning coach) and Brian Green (Ireland physiotherapist) they were fantastic at getting to that limit every time so when I went for our next review the surgeon was actually surprised with how far on I’d got and was able to push the boundaries each time. When it got to December it was starting to look very likely that I might get back playing sooner but we didn’t like to say it too loudly, just in case there was a setback.”

By Christmas week he was tracksuited up and taking some ferocious wallops off a tackle bag held by Jeremy Davidson.

“Big Jeremy hasn’t lost any of his anger or aggression, unfortunately. So I knew I could take it. Declan asked how I felt about playing in the A game (against England). Any more than 40 minutes, while I could have got through it, is when you can turn an ankle or something so he agreed there wasn’t much point in taking a risk.

“Afterwards Declan said to me, ‘I’m not saying we are selecting you but how would you feel if you were to be involved against Italy?’ I felt good. There was no reason why I couldn’t be involved.”

This was after 55 minutes for local club Banbridge at Rifle Park against Barnhall in Division Three of the AIB All-Ireland League.

“There were some nerves. If I had come in for my first game of the season and we’d lost the boys I had grown up with would have never let me forget it. That probably took my mind off the fact it was my first game back.”

Best is still only 27 but there is a mature manner evident in both tone and posture.

England was his first 80 minutes of the season as he was sin-binned in Ulster’s draw with the Dragons the previous week. His fitness clearly has deep roots as he felt strong entering those last 10 minutes. In fact, he loved being part of it all, especially acting as catalyst for Tommy Bowe’s match-winning try by nailing the ball to O’Connell’s extended paw for that dream, first phase, attack that silenced the Twickenham natives.

“You always know with Paulie, in terms of lineouts, whenever he calls something that it is the right call.

“You never question it and you never worry what else is coming. If you put it anywhere near him and he is going to put it on a plate for Tomás (O’Leary).

“They obviously tried to mark it but, as he has done for years now, he just took it and put it so Tomás could threaten and Tommy is under the posts. I just threw the lineout and ran back to the halfway line. It was perfect.”

We spoke briefly about Wales but there are not too many concerns when it comes to Rory Best. He just puts it anywhere near Paulie and gets ready for the next play.