Though he acknowledges that David Humphreys played a major part in helping him forge a career in rugby, Neil Best didn't hold the former Ireland and Ulster out-half in such high regard that he was beyond, say, dumping a trailer of manure on his driveway.
Best won 18 caps for Ireland including four in Ireland's disastrous 2007 World Cup campaign. He also played six years for Ulster between 2002 and 2008.
In a column for Rugbypass, Best disclosed that Humphreys, along with Australian international second row Justin Harrison - who wasn't long at the province at the time - once managed to arrange the disappearance of his BMW from the Ormeau Road in Belfast.
Vengeance was required and a young Rory Best, and his plentiful supply of manure, was roped in to help.
"In revenge I sought the help of now Ireland captain Rory Best, and his farm’s ready access to manure," wrote Neil Best.
Despite a brief police intervention, the prank went ahead. Luckily, they had encoutered officers with a similar sense of humour.
I was genuinely worried when the police stopped Rory’s tractor in the early hours of that Monday morning. Rory driving with me crouched down for what felt like hours in the one seat cab. Thankfully it turned out my concerns were ill-founded, when we casually explained to the officers we were off to dump a trailer of manure on Humph’s driveway he just waived us on with a smile.
Humphreys - a future Director of Rugby at Ulster - would arrive late that Monday morning.
It was the first of many smiles that morning when David Humphreys arrived unusually late for training having eventually dug himself out - I could even detect a faint whiff of rural Ulster on his arrival.
Picture credit: Sportsfile
