Rory Best announces his imminent retirement

Wheres Me Jumper?

Sad news but not unexpected.
Thanks Rory for everything down through the years.

https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2019/0309/1035337-rory-best/

Mike Oxlong

A great servant to the Irish team, no doubt whatsoever... but it's a position that we seem to have plenty of cover coming thru at international level. So hopefully the blow will be a bit softer than if it happened a few years ago.

Buer

Mike Oxlong wrote: »

A great servant to the Irish team, no doubt whatsoever... but it's a position that we seem to have plenty of cover coming thru at international level. So hopefully the blow will be a bit softer than if it happened a few years ago.

Jesus, I think we have shag all coming through. Scannell and Herring are about to turn 27 and 29 respectively. Not much development going to happen there. Cronin's race could be run and he's 32 too.

After that, we have a number of guys who are completely unknown or uncapped...none of whom have been good enough to usurp the above. Dave Heffernan is the Connacht starter and another lad who is in his late twenties and isn't going to develop hugely.

Scannell is the man for me but I don't think he's ever going to match Best at his....peak.

Mike Oxlong

Buer wrote: »

Jesus, I think we have shag all coming through. Scannell and Herring are about to turn 27 and 29 respectively. Not much development going to happen there. Cronin's race could be run and he's 32 too.

After that, we have a number of guys who are completely unknown or uncapped...none of whom have been good enough to usurp the above. Dave Heffernan is the Connacht starter and another lad who is in his late twenties and isn't going to develop hugely.

Scannell is the man for me but I don't think he's ever going to match Best at his....peak.

IMO... Scannell is the second best hooker at Munster... another option after the WC

Buer

Mike Oxlong wrote: »

IMO... Scannell is the second best hooker at Munster... another option after the WC

I'd agree there is very little between him and Marshall but that's still a step down from Best.

Mike Oxlong

Buer wrote: »

I'd agree there is very little between him and Marshall but that's still a step down from Best.

Until someone gets an extended run in the team, we won't know what their respective ceilings are

FrancieBrady

Well run Rory. Big act to follow!

Beechwoodspark

As ROG wrote in his column this week

RB is one hard bastard but also an absolute gent. He leads by example.

One of our all time greats.

awec

The man deserved more of a send off today. Should have been subbed by himself

Dubinusa

McBurney will be an option down the road. Delahunt could also be an option?
Scannell is the frontrunner and I think it's his to lose.

bilston

awec wrote: »

Should have been subbed by himself

Said that at the time myself. The PA shouted his name out a bit louder than the others who were subbed at the time, but that was it. I'd really hope that wasn't his send off.

In saying that he should have at least one other game at the Aviva in August.

bilston

Dubinusa wrote: »

McBurney will be an option down the road. Delahunt could also be an option?
Scannell is the frontrunner and I think it's his to lose.

McBurney needs to get his game at Ulster. To me he is certainly better than John Andrew, and while Herring is back on form after a poor start to the season I don't see a lot between the two already. McBurney has a touch of the Dylan Hartley about him though in that he is pro to the odd hot headed moment. Other than that he looks to be a very promising prospect.

mogwai81

bilston wrote: »

McBurney needs to get his game at Ulster. To me he is certainly better than John Andrew, and while Herring is back on form after a poor start to the season I don't see a lot between the two already. McBurney has a touch of the Dylan Hartley about him though in that he is pro to the odd hot headed moment. Other than that he looks to be a very promising prospect.

I‘ve only seen McBurney at U20 level. It seems his name has been mentioned as Best‘s replacement for a while (I know he’s still in his early 20‘s) . Has he been troubled with injuries or has he struggled to kick on?
What would be the strongest parts of his game at hooker?

Wheres Me Jumper?

it would be lovely for Rory to sign off the 6 Nations by besting the Welsh, and then lift the WC in Japan.

am i asking for too much?

Mike Oxlong

Wheres Me Jumper? wrote: »

it would be lovely for Rory to sign off the 6 Nations by besting the Welsh, and then lift the WC in Japan.

am i asking for too much?

Yes

Exclamation Marc

awec wrote: »

The man deserved more of a send off today. Should have been subbed by himself

bilston wrote: »

Said that at the time myself. The PA shouted his name out a bit louder than the others who were subbed at the time, but that was it. I'd really hope that wasn't his send off.

In saying that he should have at least one other game at the Aviva in August.

I disagree. Brian O'Driscoll's send off became farcical because of the 'last ever (insert event here)' that seemed to happen every couple of weeks towards the last few months of his career. By the end and at the actual 'last games', people were somewhat bored and worn out by it.

Give Rory a massive cheer at his last actual home game at Ulster and in the Aviva for Ireland in the Summer and that's enough.

tototoe

Exclamation Marc wrote: »

I disagree. Brian O'Driscoll's send off became farcical because of the 'last ever (insert event here)' that seemed to happen every couple of weeks towards the last few months of his career. By the end and at the actual 'last games', people were somewhat bored and worn out by it.

Give Rory a massive cheer at his last actual home game at Ulster and in the Aviva for Ireland in the Summer and that's enough.

Agree100 %.. What happened for bod was way ott. The day the giant balloon/sign thing was floating around the Aviva was embarrassing. That should never happen again for any player. Shouldn't have happened then either.

Massive cheer, send them off the pitch and leave it at that.

Lucas44

tototoe wrote: »

Agree100 %.. What happened for bod was way ott. The day the giant balloon/sign thing was floating around the Aviva was embarrassing. That should never happen again for any player. Shouldn't have happened then either.

Massive cheer, send them off the pitch and leave it at that.

Bod was worthy of it he was 100 times the player best is/was and accomplished far more in his career

The Lost Sheep

Lucas44 wrote: »

Bod was worthy of it he was 100 times the player best is/was and accomplished far more in his career

No he wasnt and so much of media coverage of it was nauseating.

tototoe

Lucas44 wrote: »

Bod was worthy of it he was 100 times the player best is/was and accomplished far more in his career

He was a great player...but that should never have been done. It was completely ridiculous.

Paul Smeenus

It was schmaltzy and not a little nauseating.

bilston

Lucas44 wrote: »

Bod was worthy of it he was 100 times the player best is/was and accomplished far more in his career

What an incredibly mean spirited post.

leakyboots

https://goo.gl/images/uQB44p

Yeah the BOD thing was way over the top. One of, if not the all-time great, in a green jersey but it was... I dunno, tacky or something.

I mean, look at the feckin' size of the yoke they used!

Former Former

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

It was schmaltzy and not a little nauseating.

I'd say no one was more embarrassed than the man himself

awec

Rory Best will retire Ireland’s most successful captain ever, a title he’s likely to hold for a long time.

He’s proved a lot of doubters wrong during his tenure. At the start he faced questions whether or not he was the right choice and he showed that he was. He has faced questions about his place and he has shown he’s the best hooker in Ireland even at 36.

He can retire with his head held high.

blackwhite

awec wrote: »

The man deserved more of a send off today. Should have been subbed by himself

TBH - I don't think RB is the kind of character who would have wanted a fuss to be made.

jacothelad

bilston wrote: »

What an incredibly mean spirited post.

Some posters just lack class.