Rory Best to take decision on his career at end of year

Ireland captain Rory Best stated that he will assess his playing career at the end of the autumn internationals this year.

The 36-year-old is contracted with Ireland until the 2019 World Cup but said the beginning of the new season with his club Ulster and the autumn internationals to follow will play a vital role in deciding his future.

“I think I’ll make a decision on that in due course,” he told the Belfast Telegraph at the PRO14‘s season launch in Glasgow on Tuesday.

“It’ll not be something that I’ll leave until the last minute because if it is my last season, the club means too much to me to do something in the 11th hour and say ‘that’s it for me’ and leave them no time to replace me.

“We’re at the stage now where I’m contracted to the end of the World Cup and a big focus of mine is going to be getting back, getting fit, getting rid of the injuries and the niggles, and focusing on this (first) part of the season with Ulster, and then the autumn internationals, and then we’ll maybe sit down and have a look at it.

“I’ll have played PRO14, I’ll have played Europe and I’ll have played international so we’ll see how the body is holding up.

“If it’s to be another 12 months, 16 or 18 months we’ll make a decision then, and that’s obviously even if there is anything offered post World Cup if we do want it. Where I’ll end up afterwards, we’ll wait and see.”

Best has racked up over 200 appearances for Ulster since joining them in 2004 and took over the reins of the side during the 2007/08 season.

He has also played 111 Tests for Ireland since making his international debut in 2005 and was part of the squad that won the Six Nations during 2009, 2014, 2015 and 2018 - with the last being a Grand Slam, which they achieved by defeating England at Twickenham Stadium on St Patrick's Day earlier this year.