Jeremy Davidson Forced To Retire.

Ulster and Ireland lock Jeremy Davidson has been forced to retire after damaging a knee. Davidson (29) aggravated the injury – he picked up initially in 1997 – whilst out fishing and after surgery and consultation with his surgeon, Mr Richard Nicholas he was left with no alternative but to retire.

He was educated at Methodist College and the University of Ulster, played Irish Schools and Under 21 and won his first senior cap against Fiji in November 1995.

He played in all of Ireland’s seven internationals in 1996/97 and in the summer of ’97 played with the Lions on their successful tour of South Africa.

Davidson, who had stints with French club Castres, as well as London Irish – made his last Test appearance against Scotland in the 2001 Six Nations.

In all, he won 32 caps for Ireland and in recent times had come back from injury to win a regular place in the Ulster side and the Ireland A team, recapturing the sort of form that had made him one of the country’s outstanding athletes and a great servant of Irish rugby.