Neil Best

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Neil Best
Date of birth	April 03, 1979 (age 27)
Place of birth	Belfast
Rugby union career
Position	Flanker
Provincial/State sides
	Ulster
correct as of .
National team(s)		Caps	(points)
	Ireland
correct as of .

Neil Best (born 3 April 1979 in Belfast, Northern Ireland) is a rugby union footballer, He plays for Ulster and Ireland.

Best is in his fourth season with Ulster, and is unrelated to namesake prop Simon Best and hooker Rory Best. Educated at Wellington College, 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 debut 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. His performance that day was described as being like that of a man "deranged," with Keith Wood saying at half time, "Best looks, well, he looks slightly mad really".