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7th December 2016
12:53pm GMT

"I think Rory is an unbelievable captain having played with him at club and international level. I'm sure that's been noticed elsewhere too."Henderson may be slightly biased but talk about Best for British & Irish Lions captain has steadily grown. Assistant Lions coach Andy Farrell has told the press that Best ticks every box to captain the touring side and journalists [plus fans] from the four countries involved have endorsed him. https://twitter.com/whiskeycully/status/800059792521728000 https://twitter.com/hubiegallagher/status/802598572176850948 In McGeechan's XV of the autumn series - for The Daily Telegraph and involving Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales - Best is one of five Irish players named. However, the Scot is honest when admitting he would probably go the way of England coach Eddie Jones and start Hartley as Lions captain for the tour of New Zealand. Best is encountering a problem that English hookers Jamie George and Tom Youngs have experienced since Jones took charge. There may be better hookers available but Hartley is seen as a pack leader and a leader of men. Back in March, Jones recalled a breakfast-time meeting with Hartley that made his mind up as perfect captain material.
"He came in, we sat down and got the food, then he got up and started talking to the staff behind in the kitchen and I could immediately see that they had a rapport with him. One of the ladies came out and started talking to him at the table. He has got that ability to have a rapport with people and, because he has got that, he can lead them to places."To Jones, it was a "no-brainer". Hartley can talk to the staff, but can he talk to the referees like Best? https://twitter.com/SportsJOEdotie/status/803243892065923072 No contest. As for the other Irish players in McGeechan's XV, he includes Tadhg Furlong, Devin Toner, Conor Murray and Robbie Henshaw. Michael Lundy joins Wooly for a wide-ranging discussion that starts with a chat about Ger Loughnane, dodgy transfers and Davy Fitzgerald's training methods. Subscribe here on iTunes.
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