Ton-up for Ireland's leader of the pack

Rory Best began the week being compared to a fine wine, such has been the Ireland captain’s improvement with age, and the man of the hour yesterday described winning his 100th Test cap as his greatest achievement in rugby.

Compliments tend to mean something when a player reaches such a milestone in international sport, and Best has had plenty ringing in his ears ahead of this evening’s Test against Australia.

The 34-year-old hooker becomes his country’s fifth rugby centurion after fellow front-rower John Hayes, Ronan O’Gara, and his predecessors as captain, Brian O’Driscoll and Paul O’Connell. Hayes and O’Gara were on the starting XV the day Best made his debut off a bench, also including his older brother Simon, to face the All Blacks at the start of a Test career that has seen the hooker give thanks for every one of his subsequent caps. Yet, none will be treasured more than the one he will receive in Dublin this evening.