Paddy Wallace says the retiring Tommy Bowe must be considered one of the all-time great Irish rugby players.
The 69-cap international, who has turned out on 163 occasions in an Ulster jersey, confirmed that this will be his final year as a professional player, bringing the curtain down on a glittering 14-year career.
For Ireland, he has scored 150 points in 69 appearances, winning IRUPA Players’ Player of the Year in 2008 and 2010, while his try against Wales in Cardiff in 2009 was a crucial score as Ireland completed a first Grand Slam since 1948.
The Monaghan native was also part of two separate British and Irish Lions tours in 2009 and 2013.
Former provincial and international team-mate Wallace told RTÉ's Morning Ireland programme that the flying winger was among the best to don the white and green jerseys.
"He is up there with legendary status. It’s quite sad, another one of that crop from 2009, now beaten by Father Time unfortunately," he said.
"A great guy, an even better team-mate, one that will be missed in Irish and Ulster rugby"
"What a career he can look back on with such great pride.
"You could tell his talent was transcendent. He had to nip over to the Ospreys, join that 'Galactico' team in 2008 and you could see his star really rise then. He then made it on to the Lions and obviously involved in one of the most iconic moments in Irish rugby over in Cardiff.
"A great guy, an even better team-mate, one that will be missed in Irish and Ulster rugby."
A Celtic League in 2006 is all Bowe has to show for silverware at club level and Wallace says it is perhaps the only blemish in an otherwise decorated career.
"We won the League in 2006, I remember playing in that team with Tommy, but we never really kicked on. We lacked European success around that time.
‘A great player and team-mate’ - @paddywallace12 pays tribute to the retiring @ulsterrugby and @irishrugby star @TommyBowe14, plus a reminder of one of his iconic tries courtesy of @MichaelC_RTE pic.twitter.com/hlZGR6iTzS
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) January 16, 2018
"Tommy left and went on to achieve more success with the Ospreys. He came for a second run with us, and it was great to have him back in the province. He is beloved here.
"A mixture of injuries and form over the past few years," he says when reflecting on why Ulster failed to challenge for more trophies in that period.
"We didn’t really make that kick on into one of the better clubs teams on the European stage. I think that might be the one small regret on an otherwise exceptional career."
Champions Cup - @Munsterrugby hopeful about @peterom6 - @henshawrob wants Larmour in #SixNations panel. Plus bye bye @TommyBowe14 #rterugby pic.twitter.com/mAJiD5Ae15
— RTÉ Rugby (@RTErugby) January 16, 2018
