Rory Best

[dcpete]

Rory goes down injured with a stinger to the shoulder following a ruck just outside Ulster’s 22.
Play proceeds while Rory is getting treatment and Ulster win their first lineout of the evening 5 metres from the Cardiff line.
Rory gets up and jogs the across the pitch to the already formed lineout with the well-intentioned crowd singing his name.

Is he feeling the pressure? Isn’t his failure in this sort of scenario exactly why he wasn’t picked for the lions?

Of course not – he hits Robbie D with a lovely throw!

But Henderson knocks on.

Is Rory’s shoulder still hurting? How will he front up in the scrum? Isn’t scrummaging power one of the reasons Hartley was picked ahead of him for the Lions?

Of course not – the Ulster front row destroy the Cardiff scrum!

Mr Gatland this is just a snapshot of what, along with brilliance at the turnover and great open field play, makes Rory Best a world class player.

[bootlaced]

perfectly put.

[ruckover]

Well put pete. I will forever question Best's omission from the Lions squad and tonight has simply furthered my belief that Gatland has called it wrong. Well done Rory

[bostonteax]

Rory you are a star!

[Meg The Lab]

Totally agree with all above.

[davejohnston]

I don't think there was a single person at Ravenhill who would disagree. The standing ovation for Rory spoke volumes.

[Deckard]

I don't think there was a single person at Ravenhill who would disagree. The standing ovation for Rory spoke volumes.

I hate to disagree but the ovation was as much for Nigel Brady coming on for his last ever match at Ravenhill.

I did notice the Rory stuff for him coming off but many were on their feet the moment Nigel Brady appeared on the touch line.

both entirely deserving candidates in their own right - they should have run off / on separately, to milk their respective ovations (I have a strong feeling if this had been suggested they would both have looked at you funny, before telling you to catch yerself on! )

[scrum5]

From where I was on the Prom, Brady did indeed get a rousing reception and rightly so but the noise around me certainly intensived when Rory walked to the dug out and again rightly so, as for eveyone in Ravenhill disagreeing with Rory's omission from the Lions, I would say most of the rugby fraternity worldwide are at a loss of his omission...Gatland and Rowntree have made a horrendous decision....

[damianmcr]

Im sure it was for both of them. It was nice after the match Nigel coming around, great response from the crowd.

[big mervyn]

Wardy didn't mince is words for once - described Rory's ommission as a joke.

The ovation from the terrace at the end was definitely for Nigel Brady, and rightly so. Rory got the kudos in the first half.

[dcpete]

The hideous banker that is Dylan Hartley has just proved what we all knew - he was a shocking choice for a Lions tour.

only a complete Warren Gatland would get sent off in a league final for abusing the ref!

Again makes a mockery of Gatland's decision not to take Europe's Best hooker.

[Roidster]

Talk of a possible lengthy ban for Hartley. Think Parisse got 40 days for a similar offence earlier in the season. Could this be an opening for Rory?

[Windeos]

Talk of a possible lengthy ban for Hartley. Think Parisse got 40 days for a similar offence earlier in the season. Could this be an opening for Rory?

The minimum ban for abusing an official is 6 weeks, there is no way he will go on the Lions tour now after calling the ref a "cheat" and showing dissent.

Here check this out, it shows the difference bans lengths and scale of offences etc http://www.rfu.com/~/~/media/files/theg ... 13%29.ashx

[Russ]

Have taken my abuse of Hartley to twatter

[interlooter]

BBC quick on the ball

Lions 2013: Dylan Hartley set to miss tour after dismissal
England hooker Dylan Hartley is set to miss the British and Irish Lions tour after becoming the first player to be sent off in a Premiership final.

Hartley, captaining Northampton in the Twickenham final against Leicester, swore at referee Wayne Barnes and called him a "cheat" after a penalty decision went against his team late in the first half.

Analysis
Alastair Eykyn
BBC Radio 5 live
"Dylan Hartley will now have to face an RFU disciplinary hearing. I do not think he will be able to board the plane to Hong Kong with the Lions on Monday. It will be Tuesday at the earliest before his case is heard and you would think a ban will come too. This story is far from over - his Lions place is in real jeopardy."
The minimum RFU ban for abusing an official is six weeks.

The Lions tour runs from 1 June-6 July.

Hartley, 27, had already been warned by Barnes for speaking out of turn.

If Hartley is banned, Ulster and Ireland hooker Rory Best would be favourite to replace him.

Hartley could have become England captain in 2012 but missed out after being given an eight-week ban for biting Ireland's Stephen Ferris.