Ireland captain Rory Best retired after the 2019 World Cup, concluding a remarkable career during which he led Ireland to a Grand Slam, two victories over the All Blacks, and numerous other titles.
The Ulsterman is celebrated as one of Ireland’s greatest and most successful captains, though his Northern Irish heritage has occasionally made him a target for criticism.
While it’s understandable why Best doesn’t sing “Amhrán na bhFiann” before Ireland’s home matches, the 36-year-old has faced criticism for not singing “Ireland’s Call” – a song created to represent the entire island of Ireland in rugby internationals – especially given his role as captain.
But Best has a fairly straightforward explanation for this, detailing his reasoning in an excellent interview with former teammate Darren Cave on The Rugby Pod.
“Look, the thing is, it’s so ironic that you get abused for it, and nobody’s ever stopped and asked you, ‘why don’t you sing it?’” Best said
“It goes back to my Ireland Schools’ days. And you know what it’s like playing Ireland’s Schools’, you know, you think it’s going to be the greatest honour you’re ever going to achieve. You’re playing for Ireland. Being from rugby families like we were, you’re going ‘this is incredible!’. You get so emotionally charged for it. And Ireland’s Call comes on that you’ve heard so many times in the old Lansdowne Road or watching on TV, and you’re belting it out.”
“And I remember we played France or England. Kicked off. I’m flying up going ‘the first guy is getting it!’. They catch it, kick it out, and I’m then turning around, running back to get a ball, still thinking ‘somebody’s gonna to get it’., and I fired this throw in and it went, like I sort of tell the story that it went three times the height of the person I was throwing it to, it wasn’t that bad! And it flew over the top.”
“From then on, I went, I can’t go into a game… because it’s so emotive to me, Ireland’s Call. And actually, even the tail end of the Irish national anthem, you know the way you get that build up for that crescendo at the end. They’re memories I have from going to the old Lansdowne Road to watch, this build up, and then the massive cheer, and then Ireland’s Call coming on.”
“The problem is then, I worry that it’s going to happen in a big game. That we’re going to kick off against the All Blacks, Beauden Barrett’s going to catch it, kick it out, and then I’m fully charged, trying to focus in. And it is such a core skill. It’s a bit like goalkicking, you have to get your heart rate down, you have to focus, get your breathing back, and focus for that split second to throw the perfect throw and that’s just why I did it. I don’t know whether it would affect me as much now, but I’m not prepared to take the chance.”
Louis Rees-Zammit’s dating history includes Premier League legends daughter and famous YouTuber
Six months have passed since Louis Rees-Zammit swapped the rugby pitch for the gridiron, chasing his NFL dream with the Kansas City Chiefs. The journey has been nothing short of exhilarating for the Welsh sensation.
After an intensive 10-week training program, Rees-Zammit signed with the Chiefs and is now eyeing a spot on the final 53-man roster. His rise in the sporting world has been meteoric, capturing the attention of fans and media alike.
But it’s not just his professional life making headlines. Rees-Zammit’s personal life has also been a hot topic, featuring relationships with high-profile personalities, from a Premier League legend’s daughter to a famous YouTuber and a notable model/DJ.
Alicia Scholes
In December 2019, before his international debut for Wales, Rees-Zammit posted a photo of himself playing for Gloucester. Alicia Scholes, daughter of football legend Paul Scholes, humorously suggested an England debut was imminent, despite Rees-Zammit’s Welsh roots. He firmly replied, “Wales*”.
In a BBC interview, Rees-Zammit spoke about his past relationship with Alicia, a professional netball player for London Pulse. He revealed the light-hearted attempts by her father to sway him towards England, which he steadfastly resisted.
Alicia and her father Paul found themselves in the spotlight in 2021 due to a viral video that led to playful banter among rival supporters.