Rory Best had not won a game for Ulster in 13 months. His province had endured a difficult period of late, with inconsistency a major feature throughout this season.
Today they played La Rochelle in what was a make-or-break game for Ulster's season. They were coming off the back of a significant loss against Leinster and needed a result to hold any chance of progression from a difficult European pool.
Best was heroic today. He led the line with 12 carries, the second highest of any Ulster forward. He scored a try and hit every line-out. It was a peerless performance for a man determined to ensure his winless streak would not continue.
After the game Best spoke to Sky Sports and was brutally honest about his concern that the spell of defeats was his fault. He admitted it weighed on his mind:
I was starting to get a little bit worried that maybe I was the issue.
He was joined by his son during the interview, who had only one candidate for Man of the Match.
The Ulster and Irish captain accepted his man-of-the-match trophy and then spent a considerable length of time after the game signing autographs. On or off the field, Best is a true class act.
