Ulster Rugby vs Leinster

RORY BEST: CAPTAIN Q&A

three games if not all of them. It’s a big game but we are coming to the stage of the season where all games are massive games. They had a massive one last weekend and because they narrowly lost it during extra time, this becomes an even bigger game for them. The same applies for us, we had a massive game away to Connacht to set us on track for a top four place. Now this weekend becomes even more important because these next three games in the calendar are critical to win for a play-off place. How much more of an incentive is it knowing that the final will be played at Kingspan Stadium? We are in a unique position, regardless of where we finish in the league or in the top four we are guaranteed a home final, no other team has had that. They all know apart from us that if they get to a final they have to travel. So for us it is an incentive. In previous years to get a home final you had to finish first or you could finish second and hope that the team in first lose. Whereas if we finish first or second, we could be in a position where it is a home semi and home final and that is ultimately what you play the whole season for. You try to be the best team to get that home advantage. The league have decided to host a destination final which this year played into our hands but we have a lot of work to do to make sure that we get there. It is by no means cut and dry, we have a tough run in starting on Friday night. Then hopefully, a semi-final to win but just because the final is at Kingspan Stadium doesn’t necessarily mean that Ulster will be there, we have got to make sure that we are there. It is a big week for the Best family this week… Yes, we had a wee boy, born on Wednesday at 9.30am. He was 9 pounds, 13 ounces. Rugby is brilliant and it has brought me a lot of enjoyment but at the same time there is nothing quite like family. Welcoming my third child is hard to believe from when I started out my Ulster career unmarried and no kids and now some 11 years on, I am married with three kids. I still enjoy rugby as much as ever but days like Wednesday remind you what it’s all about. I play rugby to support my family and to make them proud of me so yesterday really brought that home again. Jodie’s poor dad got sacked yesterday by our eldest boy, Ben who told him that he wasn’t needed to play rugby anymore in the garden because now he had a little baby brother to play with. So for me that is what rugby is all about. My family love coming to watch at Kingspan Stadium and supporting Ulster and hopefully Richie will be no different.

Having won the Six Nations Championship for the second year in a row last month with a team made up of more Leinster players than Ulster players, how does that affect the dynamic of Friday’s game? At this stage in my career, I am well used to differentiating between Ulster and Ireland. When you are down there, those guys are your teammates and we all get on really well. This Ireland squad, who have been building over the last number of years, is probably the closest one that I have been involved in. There is a lot of good craic and everyone gets on really well. But ultimately when you come back to Ulster it’s about succeeding and leading Ulster. I have had great success with Ireland this season and now it’s time to succeed with Ulster. We will all shake hands at the end of the game and we all get on great so there will be a bit banter after the game, but in the lead up, my focus is trying to win this game for Ulster. Does having two Leinster players on either side of you in the scrum for Ireland set you up with an advantage tactically going into this game? It is really a double edged sword, I know them well and have built a good relationship with them based on trust and based on knowing what they are going to do but on the flip side, they also know me well. I am sure the feeling will be mutual on Friday night, whoever Leinster play, they have a great front row with some very dominant props so it is going to be a challenge no matter how well I know them. Leinster suffered a European Cup semi-final defeat at the weekend after 100 minutes, do you think that will affect their performance this weekend? They have a lot of internationals and a lot of guys who are used to playing big games week in week out and rising to the occasion so I am sure Friday will be no different. Emotionally it will be tough, losing in a semi-final as we have done a few times. It is not easy and it can be tough to take. But the beauty of having the PRO12 competition is that it can now be the main focus with the view to having a week off next week to recuperate their bodies for the run in. They will be coming up here to win a game, they will not be thinking about how tough the game was five days previously. With the PRO12 the sole focus for both teams I’m sure it will make for an entertaining game? It will be a tough game, both teams have a lot to lose, with being at home there is extra pressure on us. We have had a good run at home in the league and their backs are against the wall, knowing they have to win at least two of their last

RORY BEST

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ULSTER RUGBY

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