Yesterday saw the final appearance of Grace Davitt in an Ulster shirt as she announced her retirement from Provincial rugby at the end of this season’s Inter Provincial series.

Grace has been the cornerstone of Ulster Women’s Rugby for the last five years, advising and encouraging Ulster players such as Ashleigh Baxter, Nikki Caughey and Stacey Lee Kennedy in their progression through to the international arena.

A true warrior, Grace has been playing through the pain barrier the last three seasons. Her injuries were so serious in 2012 that I thought it was the end of her career.  However, typical of Grace, she came back with a bang, playing in all five of Ireland’s historic Grand Slam matches in 2013 and all of Ireland’s games in their highly successful WRWC 2014 campaign, scoring a brilliant individual try in the semi-final against France.

On top of this she also led her beloved Cooke to promotion back into AIL 1 last season and she’ll continue to play for the Belfast outfit for this season at least.

I caught up with Grace after an emotional farewell to her team-mates at the end of yesterday’s game against Connacht. We were joined by Kathryn Dane, one of the young players enjoying her first Inter Provincial series and one of the last to come under the guidance of Grace.

FRU: Grace, that was your last game for Ulster, not the win we wanted but it was a good performance and, typically, you managed to cross for a try! How do you feel now knowing that was your last match for Ulster?

Grace: It’s so hard to say that you are hanging up your provincial boots, and I’m gradually getting to the stage where I’ll be giving it all up, but I’m so happy to finish on a performance like that. Before the match we said we wanted a performance and I think that we finally started gelling as a team today. We dug in, we’d great physicality and we moved the ball around the park and showed what Ulster could really do. It’s a good place for the team to be despite the result. 

FRU: You’ve practically dragged Ulster [Women] kicking and screaming through the last five series of Inter Provincials on your own. Do you think that after this showing you’re going to be handing it over to safe hands?

Grace: Absolutely. In years gone by I felt like I was doing maybe two or three, if not four, jobs on the pitch and it was good this year that I could just concentrate on my own game and work with great players around me. It makes the game so much easier when you can rely on the people around you.

FRU: The young players will have to pick up the mantle now. How do you feel about seeing young stars like Kathryn coming through.

Grace: Oh I  envy them because they have so many years ahead of them. It’s brilliant that we’ve got such great coaches behind us now with Goose [Philip Doyle] and Jarrett [Truscott]. The girls are just so eager to learn and improve every game and I’ve no doubt that in the years to come they will show us great things. 

Turning to Kathryn I asked how she has found her first Inter Provincial series and playing alongside Grace?

Kathryn: Brilliant. We have just built ourselves up game by game and gained experience and gained in confidence. As it shows in the scoreline we have definitely improved. Personally, I’ve learnt so much from Grace and the older players, they are my absolute idols. I’ve gained so much confidence from playing with them.  

The retirement of Davitt does leave a huge void in Ulster Women’s rugby but such is the fleeting nature of the career of an international athlete.

It’s now up to the likes of Kathryn to pick up the ball and take it further down the pitch. If they can make half the impact that Grace has done they will have had very successful careers.

Thanks for some fantastic memories Grace.