Ulster Rugby vs Leinster

FAREWELL RICKY

RICKY LUTTON

something that you’ve dreamt of since you were a kid. Being a player for my home Province has been a dream come true for me, and to do it for so long has been an honour. It’s made me immensely proud wearing the Ulster badge. You have seen a lot of changes here too? Yeah, there has been a massive transition. When I first turned up at Newforge we were eating our lunches in our cars in the car park, so there have been massive changes in terms of professionalism. I think all the new facilities here are brilliant and there can be no excuses now to get some silverware in the cupboard over the next couple of years. Unfortunately, I’ll not be here but I’m sure the boys will go on to do something great. What does the future hold for you? I’m not too sure yet. I’ve got a couple of options across the water or I might end up playing and coaching club rugby locally. I also have my Sports Law Degree to finish off around Christmas time. So there are a few doors open, but it will be a difficult enough transition moving away from life at Kingspan. But at some point we all have to move on and I will embrace the change. Good Luck Ricky!

You have been a part of Ulster for so long now, you must be sad to say goodbye? Yeah, of course. I grew up coming to watch the boys and it’s been five years that I’ve been involved here now. So it’ll be tough to say goodbye, but I guess everything has to come to an end at some point. What are your favourite memories on and off the field? I’d say some of the things off the field I probably can’t talk about! But on the field, it would definitely be my first start down in the RDS in 2013 when we beat Leinster. It was a big moment for me and to get the win down there was pretty special. Also to beat Toulouse back- to-back last year both at home and away was a really good achievement for the team, so they would be two highlights for me on the field. Off the field, it has to be the friendships. I’ve seen a lot of my good mates come and go like Neil McComb and Niall Annett and boys like that who I came up through Harlequins with, but new guys come in, and the squad grows and you make good mates along the way so I’ll be sad to say goodbye but I wish the boys all the best. What will you miss the most about playing for Ulster? I’ll miss the camaraderie and the pride you get from turning up every Monday morning to do

21

www. ULSTERRUGBY .com