Neil Best
Neil Best is a rugby union footballer, who attended Wellington College Belfast and played his school rugby there until he left in 1997 after upper sixth. The last professional team he played for was London Scottish and previously played on the Irish national team. He played as a flanker.
Best was a relative late comer to rugby, starting his career with Malone RFC. 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.
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 from playing rugby for 18 weeks for reckless 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.
