Showing posts with label RoryBest2. Show all posts
Showing posts with label RoryBest2. Show all posts
Wednesday, 21 January 2015
Wednesday, 31 October 2012
Ireland Not Best Without O'Driscoll
Brian O'Driscoll and hooker Rory Best have been ruled out of the forthcoming autumn international series for Ireland because of injuries.
O'Driscoll picked up an ankle injury in Leinster's game with Cardiff Blues and scans have shown that he will require surgery to repair ligament damage.
The inspirational centre is set to be out of action for eight to 12 weeks.
Best sustained sprained ligaments in his neck while playing for Ulster and will require rest and rehabilitation.
The former Ulster captain suffered the injury in his province's Pro12 win over the Dragons and his situation wil be assessed again after a period of four to six weeks.
Uncapped Richardt Strauss and Sean Cronin, who has 21 caps, are now set to battle it out for the number two shirt.
Strauss, born and raised in South Africa but uncapped by the Springboks, qualifies for Ireland on residency grounds this month having represented Leinster since 2009.
Rob Kearney has been ruled out of the series with a back injury
Cronin was one of seven players added to the original Irish panel of 31 on Sunday after Irish management reported that several of the squad had suffered knocks while in action for their clubs.
Ulster quartet Craig Gilroy, Paul Marshall, Paddy Jackson and Declan Fitzpatrick were all called up, along with Michael Bent and Tiernan O'Halloran.
News of the absence of two of Ireland's most senior and experienced players will come as a further blow to coach Declan Kidney, who already had to plan without ERC player of the year Rob Kearney because of a back injury.
Keith Earls was a candidate to replace Kearney, but O'Driscoll's absence is likely to see him moved to outside centre.
That leaves winger Tommy Bowe or Felix Jones, who is short of game time after recently returning from injury, as the options for the number 15 jersey.
Paul O'Connell will take the captaincy and it will be hoped he avoids injury given Best is third choice for the leadership duties.
O'Driscoll's injury will also see him miss Leinster's Heineken Cup games in December, and the Lions star may even face a race against time to make the start of Ireland's Six Nations campaign in February.
Best must be rated doubtful for Ulster's crucial Heineken Cup double-header against Northampton on 7 and 15 December.
Ireland begin their autumn series against South Africa in Dublin on 10 November, followed by a game between an Ireland XV and Fiji at Thomond Park a week later.
Argentina visit the Aviva Stadium on 24 November.
Ireland squad: Michael Bent (Leinster), Tommy Bowe (Ulster), Darren Cave (Ulster), Tom Court (Ulster), Sean Cronin (Leinster), Gordon D'Arcy (Leinster), Keith Earls (Munster), Stephen Ferris (Ulster), Declan Fitzpatrick (Ulster), Craig Gilroy (Ulster), Cian Healy (Leinster), Jamie Heaslip (Leinster), Iain Henderson (Ulster), Chris Henry (Ulster), Paddy Jackson (Ulster), David Kilcoyne (Munster), Luke Marshall (Ulster), Paul Marshall (Ulster), John Muldoon (Connacht), Conor Murray (Munster), Mike McCarthy (Connacht), Fergus McFadden (Leinster), Kevin McLaughlin (Leinster), Donncha O'Callaghan (Munster), Paul O'Connell (Munster), Tiernan O'Halloran (Connacht), Ronan O'Gara (Munster), Peter O'Mahony (Munster), Eoin Reddan (Leinster), Mike Ross (Leinster), Donnacha Ryan (Munster), Jonathan Sexton (Leinster), Richardt Strauss (Leinster), Andrew Trimble (Ulster), Dan Tuohy (Ulster), Simon Zebo (Munster).
Friday, 8 June 2012
Rory Believes Best Still Possible in Eden
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| Photo: Getty Images |
Rory Best believes Ireland will be boosted by memories of their last appearance at Auckland's Eden Park when they meet New Zealand in Saturday's first Test.
Declan Kidney's men recorded a memorable 15-6 win over Australia at last year's World Cup in their last fixture at the venue.
Best accepts that the world champions represent another step up in class, especially on home turf, but is happy to enjoy a return to familiar surroundings.
"We have fond memories of (that game) nine months ago," said Best. "We are well aware that it was a different tournament, a long time ago and a different team.
"The only thing that has stayed the same is the venue and even that has changed a bit.
"There are lots of positives that we can take from that win but we're under no illusions that we have a completely different task ahead of us now."
Reflecting on their September victory over the Wallabies, Best added: "It was no great surprise that we won that game. It was thrown around like it was some massive upset but we went into that game very confident and knowing we could win it."
Best, 29, made his debut against the All Blacks at Lansdowne Road in 2005 and is well aware that Ireland have yet to beat their opponents in 24 matches.
While accepting it will be a tough task to change that in the next three Tests, he is convinced the current squad has sufficient quality to end the sequence.
"We are closing the gap and we want it closed," he said. "It is a strange one from an Irish point of view as they are the only top-tier team we haven't beaten. We see ourselves as a very good team.
"We have a lot of faith in the ability of this squad. We have done all our homework on the All Blacks but need to get our stuff right. We would not turn up tomorrow if we were not confident of winning."
Sunday, 20 May 2012
Best Use of Pain is for Motivation
Ulster must use the pain of their crushing Heineken Cup final defeat as motivation for next season's tournament according to hooker Rory Best.
Best and his team-mates were powerless to prevent Leinster from running away with the Twickenham final to clinch a third European title in four seasons.
The 42-14 loss was the heaviest reversal in Heineken Cup final history, ending a memorable campaign for Ulster that had included impressive victories over Munster, Leicester and Clermont Auvergne.
Leinster displayed their European pedigree in all its glory during the encounter, and Ulster ultimately had few answers.
"It was heartbreaking watching Leinster lift the trophy, but that is what you learn from," said Best. "You have to watch that and that has to drive you for next year.
"Defeats like this and watching Leinster lift the trophy has to be in our minds now for the next 12 months."
Next season's Heineken final will be played at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, and Best added: "We have to be aiming to be at the Aviva next year.
"We can't pat ourselves on the back for being in the Heineken Cup final when four years ago you thought you were never going to get out of the group. You have to be looking to win this trophy."
Ulster coach Brian McLaughlin saw his team in contention at 24-14 adrift following a well-worked try for lock Dan Tuohy, but late scores by Leinster substitutes Heinke van der Merwe and Sean Cronin helped open up a substantial winning margin.
"We started exceptionally well, but you have to take your chances," McLaughlin said.
"Leinster's defence was rock-solid, and they did a fantastic job. The scoreline may have flattered them a bit, but give Leinster an inch and they will take a mile. We have to learn from this.
"We have worked very hard over the last three years to make ourselves a quality rugby-playing side, and we tried to play a bit of football."
Saturday, 28 April 2012
Ulster Best Edinburgh for Final
Ulster beat brave Edinburgh to set up a Heineken Cup final against Leinster or Clermont-Auvergne on 19 May.
Ruan Pienaar kicked the first of his five penalties to put Ulster ahead although Greig Laidlaw replied to give Edinburgh a 6-3 advantage.
Pedrie Wannenburg's try restored Ulster's lead as Edinburgh wasted three try-scoring chances before half-time.
Two more Laidlaw penalties cut Ulster's lead but three Pienaar kicks made the game safe despite Jim Thompson's try.
Edinburgh, the first Scottish team to qualify for a European Cup semi-final, burst into the Ulster 22 in the opening minute with Tim Visser claiming that he had been impeded by Stephen Ferris after his chip behind the defence.
However, referee Romain Poite waved aside the Dutchman's protests and the French whistler penalised Allan Jacobsen for a collapsed scrum in the fourth minute, which allowed Pienaar to kick the opening points from halfway.
But Edinburgh were on terms within four minutes as Laidlaw, in near silence, levelled from 35m and the fly-half repeated the dose to put the Scots ahead four minutes later.
However, Edinburgh's lead was shortlived as Ulster pressure yielded a scrum just short and as the Scottish club's front five were pushed back alarmingly, Wannenburg reached over for the try.
Mike Blair claimed that the ball had come out of the scrum but Poite disagreed and Pienaar slotted the conversion.
Edinburgh, playing an attractive off-loading game, fought back to dominate possession in the remainder of the first half but they wasted three glorious try-scoring changes.
The Scots charged to within two yards of the Ulster line in the 25th minute but the ball squirted out of a ruck which allowed Pienaar to clear.
Ulster were then temporarily reduced to 14 when Stefan Terblanche was sin-binned for throwing a punch at Ross Ford at a ruck.
Edinburgh sensed their opportunity but Netani Talei spilled possession once again two yards from the Ulster line and a forward pass from Visser saw another chance wasted after a brilliant Blair break.
Pienaar increased Edinburgh frustration as he slotted another three points after Lee Jones had run in front of his kicker but Laidlaw steadied the Scots with a penalty in injury-time.
Ulster's lead was down to the minimum four minutes after the restart as Laidlaw slotted his fourth penalty after a break from Matt Scott.
But a Pienaar break started a period of intense Ulster pressure, though the Edinburgh defence somehow held out with Laidlaw ripping the ball away after Dan Tuohy and then Wannenburg were both held inches short of the line.
Pienaar had turned down two certain penalties as Ulster threatened after the resumption but he took the three points on offer in the 57th minute and then extended the lead to 19-12 in the 63rd minute.
By that stage, Ulster were relying on their set-piece to strangle Edinburgh's running game and when the Scots did have possession, they were invariably undone by handling errors.
Pienaar's 76th-minute penalty put more than a score between the teams and Thompson's injury-time try - converted by Laidlaw - was too late for the battling Scottish side.
Wednesday, 7 March 2012
Ireland Play Scots with Best Leader
Rory Best has been passed fit to captain Ireland in Saturday's Six Nations game against Scotland.
Best was feared to have sustained a rib injury in the draw against France but scans revealed no major damage and he was named in the team on Wednesday.
The hooker takes over the captaincy from injured Paul O'Connell who is replaced at lock by Donnacha Ryan.
The other change from the game in Paris sees Eoin Reddan replacing injured Conor Murray at scrum-half.
O'Connell, who has led Ireland in the Six Nations so far this year, and Murray are out of the rest of the tournament.
Lock O'Connell is likely to be out for around six weeks because of a medial ligament injury.
Murray sustained bruising to a knee joint against the French and will be out of action for around three weeks.
Connacht forward Mike McCarthy and Munster scrum-half Tomas O'Leary, who were added to the Irish squad as cover because of the injuries suffered by O'Connell and Murray, have been named in the replacements.
Best previously captained Ireland on the 2009 summer tour of North America when Brian O'Driscoll and O'Connell were unavailable because of their Lions tour commitments.
However, Saturday's game will be the first time that Best has skippered Ireland in a Six Nations encounter.
Ulster hooker Best described being handed the captaincy as a "great honour".
"It's something growing up that you dream of," added Best.
"It's very unfortunate what has happened to Paulie (Paul O'Connell) but I was obviously very honoured when Declan [Kidney, coach] asked me to captain the side.
"We know we'll have to be on the money against Scotland. It will be a massive challenge for our defence."
Best added that he had trained fully on Wednesday morning after undergoing a precautionary scan on Tuesday.
Keith Earls (groin), Donncha O'Callaghan (ankle) and Sean O'Brien (foot) picked up knocks against France but are expected to be fit for Saturday's match.
Kidney said that he had no hesitation in picking Ryan and Reddan to replace the injured duo.
"Donnacha and Eoin have been doing a lot of work with us over the past few weeks and will get their chance now," added Kidney.
"Donnacha was probably unlucky not to get starting in earlier games when we opted to pick Donncha O'Callaghan alongside Paul O'Connell."
Ireland: Rob Kearney; Tommy Bowe, Keith Earls, Gordon D'Arcy, Andrew Trimble; Jonathan Sexton, Eoin Reddan; Cian Healy, Rory Best (capt), Mike Ross; Donncha O'Callaghan, Donnacha Ryan; Stephen Ferris, Sean O'Brien, Jamie Heaslip.
Replacements: Sean Cronin, Tom Court, Mike McCarthy, Peter O'Mahony, Tomas O'Leary, Ronan O'Gara, Fergus McFadden.
Thursday, 1 March 2012
Are Some Things Best Left Unsaid
Rory Best believes Ireland can end the country's long wait for success on French soil.
Ireland have a terrible record against France, only winning once there since 1972 when Brian O'Driscoll emerged as the hat-trick hero in 2000.
History weighs heavily against Ireland ahead of Sunday's rescheduled Six Nations clash.
"It's a massive challenge, but we have an opportunity to write ourselves into the history books,'' said Best.
Ireland's Grand Slam hopes ended with an opening day defeat to Wales in the Aviva Stadium.
Any lingering hopes of clinching the championship trophy will be extinguished if they fail to beat Les Bleus in the Stade de France.
Coach Declan Kidney and Ireland players Stephen Ferris and Andrew Trimble look ahead to Sunday's Six Nations match against France
The odds are stacked against Declan Kidney's men but Best insists that will only serve to make victory more satisfying.
"The record books say that us winning in Paris doesn't happen very often, so from an Irish point of view it would be a massive result for us," he said.
"We go there full of confidence, but we're fully aware of how long it's been since we've beaten them in Paris.
"As competitive players you want to have these big moments in your career. Sunday evening can be one of those for us.''
The game is being staged on the tournament's second break weekend after the original fixture on February 11 was postponed due to a frozen pitch.
The disruption to Ireland's schedule could yet prove beneficial as they now travel to Paris revitalised by their five-try demolition of Italy last weekend.
Best explained: "The last time we went there we had the advantage of trying to settle a score after losing the Wales game the way we did.
"Now we're coming off the back of a good win and have scored five tries against Italy. You don't often see Italy concede 40 points these days.
"It's very encouraging to go to France with that in the bank. We've also had another few weeks together so we're ironing out the wrinkles.
"But any time you to go Paris is an exciting time. We want the win that has been so elusive for Irish rugby for so long.''
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