In our series, Behind the Player in association with Deloitte, Ulster’s Women players share a little bit about themselves, as well as recommendations for coping during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This week, Ulster Rugby spoke to Malone and Ulster full-back, Ella Durkan.
Tell us a little about your rugby pathway to date.
My rugby pathway is quite different to a lot of the other girls. I grew up playing Gaelic and camogie and would only really have had eyes for them. I went to Aquinas Grammar School, which of course is just behind Kingspan Stadium. We were lucky that Ulster coaches would come to our school to take tag ruby. It’s quite nice that it’s come full circle – the two coaches were Neal Johnston and Neill Alcorn who are Team Manager and Head Coach at Ulster. One of my teachers, Declan Brophy who convinced me to give tag rugby a go when the Gaelic season was over and I’m so grateful he did. That turned into cross-field Sevens rugby which I loved. The two Ulster coaches convinced me to go for the Ulster Sevens U18 trials, and it ended up working out.
[caption id="attachment_35764" align="alignnone" width="697"]
Ella at 4 years old playing for Bredagh GAC[/caption]
I had the best time playing Sevens but the Gaelic was getting more serious and we were getting a good run at minor level with our football team. I dropped the rugby to focus on the Gaelic for a while. It was pure coincidence during the year of the Women’s World Cup in 2017, I bumped into Neal Johnston in Dublin and he convinced me to go along to the Malone 10s tournament the week after. I went along but didn’t know what I was doing – I just jumped in head-first and it was fantastic. I was introduced to Ross Ferguson at Malone and he pulled me into playing a game for them. Ross passed my details to Jonny Rowan who coached the firsts, and the rest is history! I feel like I’ve fallen into a lot of things in rugby but I don’t regret a single moment and it’s been great so far.
Who have been your main influences in your rugby career?
At Malone, Jonny Rowan and Ross Ferguson really helped me when I was starting. I wouldn’t still be playing rugby if it wasn’t for their support. It’s just such an easy environment to jump into with the girls at the club. With Grace Davitt being our coach, she has been a massive help in our step up to AIL rugby. All the boys involved at Ulster – Pops (Neill Alcorn) and Jonty (Neal Johnston) have been instrumental and are still really supportive of me. When I feel unsure of myself, they’re great guys to go to. Diesel (Paul Heasley) the strength and conditioning help he gives us not just during the season but all year-round has been brilliant. The lessons I learn from Suff (Derek Suffern, Performance Coach) have been invaluable. He’s really pushed me to become a better player. People say, “it takes a village” and it’s sort of true in this case with my rugby!
What barriers have you had to overcome to reach this point?
Trying to juggle everything has been tough. I’ve always tried to balance playing different sports or playing for a couple of different teams. Juggling my time to study was a real barrier as well, especially in my final year at university. It was a struggle trying to play college football as well as club rugby. It’s a bit easier now that I’m working full-time because I have my set 9-5 hours and weekends are free.
The perception that women’s rugby still has is another barrier. It’s not always negative but sometimes from the outside there’s a perception of what rugby is or who should play it. Over the last few years, that has been broken down, especially since the Women’s World Cup. There are a lot of girls who saw it live on our doorstep and thought, “this isn’t what I believed it was going to be like”. Education has helped break down that perception, although there’s still a way to go.
What have you been up to in the last few months?
I’ve been working from home now for something like 20 weeks – I’ve lost track at this point! I’m very lucky I’ve still got my full-time job and have been working away. It’s been very good for me because it has given me structure and something to do Monday to Friday. It made it very easy for me to plan my training; I knew what hours I could and couldn’t train, so it was easier to motivate myself. It made me make use of the free time I had.
I’ve been doing what most other people have been up to – just getting through it and training at home when I can, going for runs, and having Zoom calls with friends. I’ve been lucky that my job has kept me busy.
How do you stay motivated?
When you have to do something or really want to do something, it’s easier to get yourself up and going. With my training, it’s been something I know I really want to do, so it hasn’t been too much of a struggle. That being said, that was the longest time I’ve gone without a fully-functioning sports team. Since I’ve been no age, I’ve always had a sport to be involved in. This has been a very uncertain period and in the middle of it, I did struggle because I wondered when rugby or Gaelic would be back up and running again. I’ve been chatting to the rest of the girls in the squad and after the Zoom calls with Diesel, they get me back on track because everyone is going through the same thing. It puts things into perspective.
What have you been doing to stay fit – any tips you can share?
If you’re struggling to get up and do something, do something you enjoy. There’s no point if you’re struggling to try and run a 5K – very few people enjoy doing that. Find something you like doing to keep yourself fit and healthy. Focus on what you like to start with and then progress from there. Get your friends and family roped in too; it’s easier when you have people to enjoy it with.
What about any healthy eating advice? What’s the best meal you’ve made at home?
Everything in moderation. With the amount of training we’ve been doing, we do have to eat healthily. If I’m not eating well, I don’t feel good. If you want a bit of chocolate, don’t ration yourself. Find food that you enjoy rather than things that are a chore to eat.
I’m not really one for sticking to a recipe! I would be more likely to open the fridge and see what’s in there. The downside is that if you make something nice, you can’t remember how you made it!
What have you been doing to stay calm and enjoy yourself while at home?
I’ve got two dogs and they’ve been great company. That’s the great thing about working from home; you get to see the dogs. They’re brilliant for helping me relax. I love listening to and playing music as well. It’s a nice way to chill out and if you’ve had a busy day, it’s nice to be able to switch off and unwind. I’ve had a lot of trips to the beach as well. It’s a good place because it’s hard to be stressed while standing on the beach! I find training really relaxes me. You can’t think about how bad your day was when you’re focusing on training.
Have you got any streaming or book recommendations?
I wouldn’t really be a TV person, but I’d watch Netflix. I watched ‘The Last Dance’ documentary about Michael Jordan which came at the perfect time for me. I was struggling with motivation at that point and seeing someone who is a complete competitor gave me the motivation I needed.
What has been the best advice you’ve received?
Suff always has the mantra, “know your job, respect your job and do your job”. That was massively important for me coming into the team. The way he broke it down to the jobs you should be doing was such a help for me in my position. In my first game, that nervousness around all the jobs I had to do, I could compartmentalise what I was supposed to do.
My dad would always say to me, “remember why you’re doing it.” Everyone comes into sport with a purpose. You don’t wade into a sport without any thought. When things aren’t going your way, it’s important to remember why you got here in the first place. I’ve held onto those two pieces of advice when the going gets tough.
What have been your proudest moments in rugby?
Although it’s been a short career so far, there have been a lot of proud moments on the pitch. My first cap for Ulster came in a very roundabout way; it was another example of everything slotting into place for me. One of the girls got injured and the back line got reshuffled. I was supposed to be on the bench but the night before the game, I was told I was going to play. My family was there to watch in Dublin which was lovely.
My very first game for Malone was another proud moment. Part of me always wanted to play rugby and I never got the confidence to take the first step of going for it. In my first match, I thought I had thrown myself into the deep end but I would see how it went. Our first AIL game last season is another special one. We had been pushing for so long to get up into the AIL and it felt for a long time that it was just out of our grasp. That first game, we played against UL Bohemians – one of the best in the league – at home. It was a nice feeling that we had finally got to this point and we really went for it.
[caption id="attachment_35763" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Ella with her rugby friendship group after getting her first cap[/caption]
Do you have a pre-match song you always listen to?
Anything really! At Malone, we would have a post-match song – “Teenage Dirtbag” by Wheatus which we always played after games. It started when there was a group of us who were teenagers at the time playing on the senior team. It was a bit of a joke for the senior players. Before games, I just hit shuffle and listen to whatever plays.
What are your rugby aspirations?
Ella at 4 years old playing for Bredagh GAC[/caption]
I had the best time playing Sevens but the Gaelic was getting more serious and we were getting a good run at minor level with our football team. I dropped the rugby to focus on the Gaelic for a while. It was pure coincidence during the year of the Women’s World Cup in 2017, I bumped into Neal Johnston in Dublin and he convinced me to go along to the Malone 10s tournament the week after. I went along but didn’t know what I was doing – I just jumped in head-first and it was fantastic. I was introduced to Ross Ferguson at Malone and he pulled me into playing a game for them. Ross passed my details to Jonny Rowan who coached the firsts, and the rest is history! I feel like I’ve fallen into a lot of things in rugby but I don’t regret a single moment and it’s been great so far.
Who have been your main influences in your rugby career?
At Malone, Jonny Rowan and Ross Ferguson really helped me when I was starting. I wouldn’t still be playing rugby if it wasn’t for their support. It’s just such an easy environment to jump into with the girls at the club. With Grace Davitt being our coach, she has been a massive help in our step up to AIL rugby. All the boys involved at Ulster – Pops (Neill Alcorn) and Jonty (Neal Johnston) have been instrumental and are still really supportive of me. When I feel unsure of myself, they’re great guys to go to. Diesel (Paul Heasley) the strength and conditioning help he gives us not just during the season but all year-round has been brilliant. The lessons I learn from Suff (Derek Suffern, Performance Coach) have been invaluable. He’s really pushed me to become a better player. People say, “it takes a village” and it’s sort of true in this case with my rugby!
What barriers have you had to overcome to reach this point?
Trying to juggle everything has been tough. I’ve always tried to balance playing different sports or playing for a couple of different teams. Juggling my time to study was a real barrier as well, especially in my final year at university. It was a struggle trying to play college football as well as club rugby. It’s a bit easier now that I’m working full-time because I have my set 9-5 hours and weekends are free.
The perception that women’s rugby still has is another barrier. It’s not always negative but sometimes from the outside there’s a perception of what rugby is or who should play it. Over the last few years, that has been broken down, especially since the Women’s World Cup. There are a lot of girls who saw it live on our doorstep and thought, “this isn’t what I believed it was going to be like”. Education has helped break down that perception, although there’s still a way to go.
What have you been up to in the last few months?
I’ve been working from home now for something like 20 weeks – I’ve lost track at this point! I’m very lucky I’ve still got my full-time job and have been working away. It’s been very good for me because it has given me structure and something to do Monday to Friday. It made it very easy for me to plan my training; I knew what hours I could and couldn’t train, so it was easier to motivate myself. It made me make use of the free time I had.
I’ve been doing what most other people have been up to – just getting through it and training at home when I can, going for runs, and having Zoom calls with friends. I’ve been lucky that my job has kept me busy.
How do you stay motivated?
When you have to do something or really want to do something, it’s easier to get yourself up and going. With my training, it’s been something I know I really want to do, so it hasn’t been too much of a struggle. That being said, that was the longest time I’ve gone without a fully-functioning sports team. Since I’ve been no age, I’ve always had a sport to be involved in. This has been a very uncertain period and in the middle of it, I did struggle because I wondered when rugby or Gaelic would be back up and running again. I’ve been chatting to the rest of the girls in the squad and after the Zoom calls with Diesel, they get me back on track because everyone is going through the same thing. It puts things into perspective.
What have you been doing to stay fit – any tips you can share?
If you’re struggling to get up and do something, do something you enjoy. There’s no point if you’re struggling to try and run a 5K – very few people enjoy doing that. Find something you like doing to keep yourself fit and healthy. Focus on what you like to start with and then progress from there. Get your friends and family roped in too; it’s easier when you have people to enjoy it with.
What about any healthy eating advice? What’s the best meal you’ve made at home?
Everything in moderation. With the amount of training we’ve been doing, we do have to eat healthily. If I’m not eating well, I don’t feel good. If you want a bit of chocolate, don’t ration yourself. Find food that you enjoy rather than things that are a chore to eat.
I’m not really one for sticking to a recipe! I would be more likely to open the fridge and see what’s in there. The downside is that if you make something nice, you can’t remember how you made it!
What have you been doing to stay calm and enjoy yourself while at home?
I’ve got two dogs and they’ve been great company. That’s the great thing about working from home; you get to see the dogs. They’re brilliant for helping me relax. I love listening to and playing music as well. It’s a nice way to chill out and if you’ve had a busy day, it’s nice to be able to switch off and unwind. I’ve had a lot of trips to the beach as well. It’s a good place because it’s hard to be stressed while standing on the beach! I find training really relaxes me. You can’t think about how bad your day was when you’re focusing on training.
Have you got any streaming or book recommendations?
I wouldn’t really be a TV person, but I’d watch Netflix. I watched ‘The Last Dance’ documentary about Michael Jordan which came at the perfect time for me. I was struggling with motivation at that point and seeing someone who is a complete competitor gave me the motivation I needed.
What has been the best advice you’ve received?
Suff always has the mantra, “know your job, respect your job and do your job”. That was massively important for me coming into the team. The way he broke it down to the jobs you should be doing was such a help for me in my position. In my first game, that nervousness around all the jobs I had to do, I could compartmentalise what I was supposed to do.
My dad would always say to me, “remember why you’re doing it.” Everyone comes into sport with a purpose. You don’t wade into a sport without any thought. When things aren’t going your way, it’s important to remember why you got here in the first place. I’ve held onto those two pieces of advice when the going gets tough.
What have been your proudest moments in rugby?
Although it’s been a short career so far, there have been a lot of proud moments on the pitch. My first cap for Ulster came in a very roundabout way; it was another example of everything slotting into place for me. One of the girls got injured and the back line got reshuffled. I was supposed to be on the bench but the night before the game, I was told I was going to play. My family was there to watch in Dublin which was lovely.
My very first game for Malone was another proud moment. Part of me always wanted to play rugby and I never got the confidence to take the first step of going for it. In my first match, I thought I had thrown myself into the deep end but I would see how it went. Our first AIL game last season is another special one. We had been pushing for so long to get up into the AIL and it felt for a long time that it was just out of our grasp. That first game, we played against UL Bohemians – one of the best in the league – at home. It was a nice feeling that we had finally got to this point and we really went for it.
[caption id="attachment_35763" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Ella with her rugby friendship group after getting her first cap[/caption]
Do you have a pre-match song you always listen to?
Anything really! At Malone, we would have a post-match song – “Teenage Dirtbag” by Wheatus which we always played after games. It started when there was a group of us who were teenagers at the time playing on the senior team. It was a bit of a joke for the senior players. Before games, I just hit shuffle and listen to whatever plays.
What are your rugby aspirations?