Rory Best has settled into a very different routine after retiring from rugby in 2019, moving back to work on the family farm in Poyntzpass, County Armagh. It is a significant post-career change for a player who won 124 caps for Ireland and spent years at the centre of elite rugby, but Best says the move has given him a fresh focus.
Best had already made clear that a sporting life was never always part of the plan. “When I was young there was no professional rugby – it only started in ’95,” he said, reflecting on how quickly his career changed direction once the game turned professional. “Playing rugby, you come into contact with a lot of different people. You start off your life wanting to be a farmer who plays a bit of rugby for Banbridge and then that changes because you become professional.”
A return to the farm, but not a full break from rugby
That is the key point in Best’s transition. He is back with the family business, but he has not stepped away from rugby completely. He has continued to stay involved through coaching and media work, keeping a link to the game while adjusting to life outside it.
Best’s post-retirement path has also included rugby roles away from the pitch. In April 2021, he was announced as a technical and high-performance skills coach for the Seattle Seawolves, underlining that his knowledge of the sport still carries weight beyond Ireland. Last year, he was also named Ulster's general manager, another reminder that his experience remains valuable in the professional game.
Family, routine and a different pace of life
For Best, though, the appeal of life on the farm is not just about work. It is also about the change of pace and the chance to enjoy ordinary moments again after years in a rugby environment built around preparation and pressure. “You’ll not have the same challenges you have in rugby; things will be very different,” he said.
He also spoke about accepting that retirement can never be an exact replacement for playing. “I think you have to be realistic and know you will never fill that void – so you don’t try to. You just try to do something you can get your teeth into and enjoy,” Best said. “It will be nice to spend a little bit of time with my family and be able to enjoy Christmas now like a normal person – not worrying about training the next day.”
It is a grounded next chapter for one of Ireland's most recognisable recent rugby figures. The jersey may be gone, but the work, discipline and sense of responsibility clearly remain.
