Lansdowne Road - The End of an Era!

It seems that every past and present Irish rugby international have been asked for their favourite memory of playing at Lansdowne Road. Over 130 years that rugby has been played at the ground, the greatest players have stepped out to torrential rain and gale-force winds, characteristics that made the stadium what it is.

Ulster Rugby Captain Simon Best, a player that has witnessed many great moments at the ground, and taken part in a few as well, takes a trip down memory lane to reminisce about what has made the stadium so special to so many people.

“I think my first memory was when I was around seven or eight years old and I went down to see Ireland versus Romania in 1986 with my family. This began a family tradition, where we would try to get at least one game a year.”

The front row forward understands what its like to play in front of a partisan crowd, when he leads the team out onto Ravenhill. The atmosphere that Lansdowne Road boasts means that it’s important to make a good account of yourself and Simon understands the responsibility to anyone who takes the field.

“It is a privilege to play there. I take individual pride when I take the field. It’s special to play at the home of Irish rugby and really appreciate the history of the ground. It’s sad to see the end of an era, but it is a sign of the times. The increase in the support base and the need for better facilities means that this is just a natural progression.”

Simon has been part of the recent history, most notably the Triple Crown victory when Scotland were beaten. Simon’s first cap came against Tonga in June 2003 and obviously a tremendous achievement in any player’s career. It can be a lonely place, but Simon has also had some familiar faces to help him during his international career with Ulster players arriving onto the international scene.

“It was obviously a proud day when I was named in the same squad as my brother Rory. Having played with him for Ulster, it was great to be in the same squad to face the All Blacks and hopefully I made his first cap less daunting.”