Neil Best

Neil Best

Date of birth	3 April 1979 (1979-04-03) (age 32)
Place of birth	Belfast, Northern Ireland
Height	1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Weight	105 kg (16 st 7 lb) [1]
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position	Flanker
Professional / senior clubs
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2002–2008 2008–2010 2010 –	Ulster Northampton Worcester	122 50	(90) (15)
correct as of 17 February 2010.
National team(s)
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2005 –	Ireland	18	(10)
correct as of 4 November 2009.

Neil Best (born 3 April 1979^[2] in Belfast, Northern Ireland) is a rugby union footballer, He plays for Worcester Warriors and the Irish national team.

Best was a relative late comer to rugby, starting his career with Malone RFC.^[3] He has a BSc and MA in chemical engineering. He scored 7 tries for Ulster in 2006 – three in the Heineken Cup and four in the Celtic League.

He made his Senior international début for Ireland as a replacement v New Zealand in November 2005. Also in November 2005, he scored his 1st Test try for v Romania.

His form for Ulster and during the summer tour to Australia and New Zealand saw Best included in the Ireland squad for the 2006 Autumn Internationals. He was named man of the match in Ireland's 21–6 victory against Australia at Lansdowne Road.^[3]

It was announced in February 2008 that Best would join English side Northampton Saints at the end of the 2007/2008 season.

At the end of 2008, Best was banned for 18 weeks for wreckless contact with James Haskell Best played in the Ireland A squad in the 2008 Churchill Cup, and also played an integral part in the Ireland A team that won the 2009 Churchill Cup.

References

1. ^ "Aviva Premiership Rugby - Worcester Warriors". web page. Premier Rugby. http://www.premiershiprugby.com/clubs/worcester_warriors.php?section=1. Retrieved 25 September 2011. 
2. ^ itsrugby.co.uk – Neil Best Profile, retrieved 2010-09-02
3. ^ ^{a b} Irish Rugby Football Union – Neil Best Profile, retrieved 2010-09-02

External links

• Northampton Saints profile
• Ulster profile
• Ireland profile
• Profile on itsrugby.co.uk

Persondata
Name	Best, Neil
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	3 April 1979
Place of birth	Belfast, Northern Ireland
Date of death
Place of death