International: Three weeks ago the accumulated Ulster media looked at Eddie O'Sullivan's team selection prior to the All Blacks game and saw only winger Tommy Bowe's name on the starting sheet to light up their stories.

In the replacements there were six Ulster players hoping to get their chance. In the dog-eat-dog competitiveness of an international squad, a chance is all the players ever want but there was little cribbing. The Ulster players would have to wait.

Three weeks on and Ulster have no players on the bench to face Romania on Saturday. But they have six players on the starting team. While Mark McCall's side have been showing a strong vein of form in the Celtic League, the Ulster players' fortunes over the last three weeks has transformed the look of the Irish side.

It would have been seven Ulster players had prop Simon Best's brother, Rory, not injured his knee the weekend before selection (flanker Neil Best is unrelated), which would have made it two brothers on the same team for the first time since the Wallaces, David, Paul and Richard held down regular places.

"The nature of the game is that he (Rory) picked up a knock and unfortunately didn't make it this week," says Simon pragmatically. "But he has come a long way. He has got a lot of exposure the last two games and has been on the pitch twice and no doubt will take a lot from it. He'll be around in the years to come. Yeh, it would have been nice but we're professional and I'm just extremely happy to be getting a run."

Simon has come off a season where his qualities as captain of Ulster have thrust him into a more important role within the team dynamic, one of increased responsibility and leadership. The higher profile and his strong form would have done him considerable good in raising his head into a position of visability for O'Sullivan.

"I'm somebody who has always tried to show a bit of responsibility," says the quiet spoken tighthead. Hopefully the experience I have can bring me through with Ireland."

Earning his 10th cap, the 28-year-old scrums down with Shane Byrne and Marcus Horan but is a long way off being the senior partner. Byrne at 35 years old is the most experienced while Horan, although a year younger, brings considerably more caps (32) to the party.

"I know what happens match day and I know what happens match week," says Best. "It is important to translate that and use it to get a performance under my belt. The guys know each other well through the provinces, it is more a matter of getting used to the environment, being composed on the day and getting the job done."

While Romania, even in the era of professional rugby, represent a relatively modest challenge compared to the previous two weeks, Best and the Irish pack will not underestimate the strength of the Romanian front eight, all of whom play professionally in France. Loosehead prop Petru Balan plays with Biarritz; hooker Marius Tincu lines out with Pau and tighthead Pepe Toderasc is with Brive.

"We're expecting a tough battle up front and I'm sure they'll see that as key to their game plan. Their starting front eight are in France and three or four of the backs play in France as well. They probably know each other very well and probably have a very French approach to the way they play the game."

With the younger Ulster player Andrew Trimble impressing, while Neil Best and Kieran Campbell both earn their first starts for Ireland, Best rolls in along with captain David Humphreys as the elder statesman. But there are no quibbles and in the laws that govern holding down a regular place on the team, this is for Best stage one; a chance.

"There is always that feeling when you get into an international side that if you play well, there may be opportunities down the line. I think it's all part of being a professional that you get it right on the pitch," he says calmly. And after that? "Well, whatever will come, will come."