Best: O'Brien wrong to single out Howley

It’s not for nothing that Rory Best is captain of Ulster and Ireland and the studied diplomacy so often required in such roles was evident even when he administered a light slap on the wrists yesterday for Sean O’Brien.

It’s close on two weeks since O’Brien went public with criticisms of Warren Gatland and Rob Howley, claiming both had been implicit in the failure of the British and Irish Lions to claim a 3-0 Test series win in New Zealand during the summer.

Anyone with even a wafer-thin connection to that tour can expect to be poked and prodded for their thoughts on that for some time to come and, though Peter O’Mahony passed on the opportunity to speak in Dublin, Best was more forthcoming.