The Best explanation of Ireland’s 2019 failures?

With his globetrotting Barbarians adventures concluded, and his first week of retirement finally upon him, Rory Best could easily have put on his slippers and emptied his mind of all rugby thoughts.

Instead, the 37-year-old came to Dublin yesterday and opened up thoughtfully on the past two seasons — one that delivered a captaincy-defining Grand Slam, and one that ended his career on a devastating low.