SIX NATIONS: It is a massive honour to be captain of Ireland: Rory Best

The 33-year-old Ulster captain had been favourite to take the Ireland armband following the retirement of Munster’s talismanic lock, Paul O’Connell, from the international scene after the Rugby World Cup in October last year..

Best, Ireland’s most capped hooker with 89 appearances, got the nod ahead of a strong line of candidates which included Jamie Heaslip, Sean O’Brien and Jonny Sexton.

Ireland are looking for a third straight RBS Six Nations Championship title.

The Irish open the 2016 campaign with a game against Wales in Dublin on Sunday, February 7.

The Poyntzpass farmer, who has 178 Ulster caps going into this week’s European Champions Cup final pool one game against Oyonnax, has captained Ireland and British Lions on occasions previously as has Heaslip.

On the four occasion Best captained the side, Ireland registered three wins.

His brother, Simon also captained Ireland previously. The prop was forced to retire due to medical reasons.

Best said: “It’s a massive honour for me and my family and it is something you dream of when you are growing up playing for Ireland and then to be asked to captain the side and this exciting group of players it’s something I privileged to do and I’m very much looking forward to it.”

Best also revealed he had known for a couple of days that he had been given the captaincy.

“When I came off the phone form Joe, first I had a missed call from him so I had to ring him back and didn’t know what he wanted.

“I was hoping it was good news and it was fairly obvious with the smile on my face that it was good news, only me and my wife knew and we had to keep it fairly quiet, I have a five year old son who is a bit of a rugby fan and he might have told everyone else if I had told him.”

In terms of Ireland’s bid for three titles in a row, Best said it was key to plan for each game as if game and then perform on the day.

“The one thing we have done really well under Joe in the last two years is we have been consistent and we have been consistent because we have only looked at the next game in front of us and we haven’t planned anything for the end of March, we just look at the next game and it’s a very difficult game, we have Wales up first in Dublin they are coming off the back of a successful world cup and with a few injuries coming back in they are a really strong side and that is all we’ll be concentrating on until that game, for us it’s about make sure that from week to week and game to game we perform.”

Best paid tribute to Paul O’Connell on his leadership.

“Paulie was one if not the best captain I ever played under you have got to learn from that and you have to take bits from that and it would be silly not to but ultimately you have to be your own person and put your on stamp on it, he was very much a talismanic captain and that is the way i’ll try to be in that in leading by what I say and in my actions, it’s a big challenge following on from Paulie but one I am relishing.”

Ulster teammate Stuart McCloskey was one of four uncapped players in the Ireland squad and Best said it was tremendous for the centre to take the next step in his rugby career.

“Stuart has been very good for us this season, he is becoming a more complete player, at the start of the season he was playing well with a lot to work on but to be fair to him he has kept his head down and worked hard, it is a big thing when somebody breaks through like he did at the start of the season is produce consistent performances which he has done, at the start he is unheard of but teams start to work you out and you have to evolve from that and he’s done it, I think it is great for Ulster to have representatives and especially guys coming in for their first time and that are uncapped it’s brilliant.”