By Jim Stokes BBC Sport

Neil Best was man-of-the-match against Australia

During his second season as director of rugby at Ulster, Alan Solomons, in his wisdom, said that Neil Best would one day play for Ireland.

In many ways it was against the grain. Many people scoffed at the thought.

Best was a raw, late recruit to the game and had this impediment where he sorted out perceived grievances through Marquis of Queensbury rules.

Boy, haven't things changed. From a firebrand, to a truly hard-hitting, patient and fully-focused back-row forward. Potentially a world-beating one.

The 27-year-old one-man wrecking ball was only on the field for 60 minutes in Ireland's 21-6 victory over Australia on Saturday, but it gave the paying public an hour's worth of pleasure.

Best already had the man-of-the-match award tucked into his pocket when he trooped off to a standing ovation from the drenched audience at Lansdowne Road.

It wasn't the only thing he had in his pocket. Those Australians who tried to run through him found granite, the sort that is found at the foot of Slieve Donard, the highest mountain in Northern Ireland which he has climbed many times.

Lote Tuqiri was the first to feel the pain. It was Australia's first attack - virtually the last - when Best legitimately thumped the Wallaby centre. You could almost see his dreadlocks straighten.

Next up was Phil Waugh, the barrel-chested Waratahs flanker. The Ulsterman had the ball, and Waugh had lined up his opposite number ready to welcome the virtual newcomer to the party.

Like two rutting stags they came together, ending with Waugh's jowls encircling his face as Best proved to be the dominant male.

Best, who has a BSc and MA in Chemical Engineering, is renowned for his food intake

In the second half, as Australia tried to pick and drive from a scrum in their 22, where they spent most of the match, flanker Rocky Elsom was almost turned to dust when another punishing Best pile-driver had him eating grass.

But it was not only Best's physicality that impressed. His line-out work was immaculate - a more than useful third jumper.

Best's handling and off-loading, aided in no small measure by Ireland's continuity coach Brian McLaughlin, is another improved feature of his game.

But despite his star rating, Best was un-moved by the clamour of his exhilarating performance. That's the man. He loves his privacy, and his food.

A lover of maple syrup and home cooking, Best - who has a BSc and MA in Chemical Engineering - is renowned for his food intake. He trains as he plays - hard, and he needs fuel to fill the gap in his body metabolism.

At the recent annual Irish Rugby Writers' awards luncheon, held immediately after an Ireland training session, Best scavenged the tables on his way into the banquet room for bread, fruit - anything to fill a gap before aperitifs.

I have personally seen him walking home at night after visiting a local supermarket, where he had bought ingredients to rustle up a little French or Italian dish.

Rocky Elsom feels the pain of a Neil Best tackle

Born in George Best's hinterland in east Belfast, the stroppy 16-year-old was first introduced to the game at Wellington College, which was a Nineties amalgamation of Annadale Boys Grammar and Carolan Girls in south-east Belfast.

It was a hockey-playing establishment initially and rugby was only an afterthought. After learning the rudiments of the game at the Malone club, he moved to Belfast Harlequins, where his career took off.

It was when he was invited to turn up at an Ulster practice session in 2002, that he came under the notice of Solomons.

It didn't take long for the former Springboks assistant coach to realise there was more than a bit of a potential there. But it appeared that Best collected yellow cards as a hobby as his high-octane personality went into overdrive.

But all that changed two years ago, when he emerged from some unfortunate headlines to become someone that younger players now look up to.