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12
RORY BEST
RORY BEST CONFIRMED
AS ULSTER CAPTAIN
Best, who has played 198 times for his home
Province, returns to a position that he first held
from 2007 to 2011.
The 35-year-old brings immense experience
to the role, having previously had two stints
as captain of Ulster, as well as considerable
experience of leading both Ireland and the British
& Irish Lions.
Best took over the Ireland captaincy 18 months
ago and oversaw a historic run of results last year
as they registered a first Test victory on South
African soil in June followed by a first-ever win
over New Zealand in November. Later that month,
he won his 100th international cap in a win over
Australia.
A two-time British & Irish Lions tourist, Best led
midweek sides on both the 2013 tour to Australia
and again in New Zealand earlier this summer.
Commenting on his appointment, Best said:
"It's a huge honour to captain my home Province
again. To play for Ulster fills me with immense
pride and that feeling is amplified when I lead the
team out.
"I'll be in the privileged position of having an
experienced group of players supporting me, all
of whom have represented Ulster for a number of
years and are superb leaders in their own right.
"The standard of rugby in the Guinness PRO14
and the Champions Cup is improving each
year and the players are looking forward to the
challenges ahead in both competitions. We're
committed to working hard each week to improve
every aspect of our game and hopefully this will
increase our chances of success.”
Kiss paid tribute to his new skipper, adding:
"Rory is an exceptional ambassador for Ulster
Rugby both on and off the pitch. To have
achieved what he has in the game is testament to
his qualities as a player and a person.
"It's brilliant for us to be in a position to call
upon someone with his experience and proven
leadership ability. He has recent experience
of captaining Ireland and the Lions in massive
games and that has further enhanced his
leadership qualities, meaning he's better
equipped than ever before to lead us.
"We have a structure in place that will enable
us to call upon strong leaders throughout the
season, regardless of injuries and international
call-ups. Indeed, Chris Henry, who has led the
team on many occasions, will captain us tonight
against the Cheetahs. I'm looking forward to
working with Rory and the other senior players
to create a culture that challenges us to improve
week by week.”
Director of Rugby Les Kiss has confirmed that Rory Best will lead Ulster
during the 2017/18 season.