Ulster and Ireland hooker Rory Best followed his elder brother Simon into rugby, playing alongside him for both province and country.

Best was part of the Ireland squad for the Under-21 World Cup in 2003, before making his bow for Ulster in the 2004-05 season. It was during his second season with the province that Best put his hand up for international honours, with five tries during Ulster's Heineken Cup campaign granting him an Ireland debut against New Zealand in the 2005 autumn internationals.

Best was promoted to skipper Ulster during the 2007-08 season, and was selected for Ireland's 2007 Rugby World Cup in France. He played three matches during the tournament as Ireland crashed out at the group stages.

Best's international career was partly spent scrapping with Jerry Flannery of Munster for the Ireland jersey, a trend that continued through to the 2008 autumn internationals as Best started against New Zealand, and Flannery against Argentina.

In 2009 Best played second fiddle to Flannery as Ireland won a Grand Slam, starting one Test against Scotland and appearing from the bench in the others. After captaining two Tests against Canada and the USA in 2009, during the Lions tour, Best was ruled out following neck surgery.

He made a surprise return to training with Ulster in early 2010 and was subsequently included in the extended Ireland squad for the Six Nations. He made a second Rugby World Cup in 2011 - this time as first-choice - and stepped up to captain his country again in the following Six Nations due to an injury to Paul O'Connell.

Best continued to hold down the Ireland No.2 shirt through 2012 and the beginning of 2013 as he laid down a strong case to be selected for the Lions' tour to Australia.