Challenge Cup final: Hollie Davidson's rise to become the first woman who appreciates a European Showpiece

When Hollie Davidson realized that she would never fulfill her dreams of reaching the largest stage as a rugby player, she did not give up or did not drift from sports.

Instead, she went on a different way to become one of the world's leading referees.

The Scotsman will write history in Cardiff on Friday evening when she is responsible for Bath against Lyon in the final of the Challenge Cup, the first woman who appreciates a European shop window.

It is the latest in a list of pioneering moments in the career of the 32-year-old, which seems to be on an upward track.

Previously, Davidson had ambitions to reach the Testarena as a player.

As a talented half-shift, which was able to operate on Scrum-Half or half of the fly, she was about to collapse the fate in the Scotland team.

“I was 19 years old and was invited to my first Senior -Frauen -Scotland -Camp,” says Davidson to the Scotland Rugby Podcast of the BBC.

“I was named to get my first cap from the bank against the Netherlands.

“Unfortunately, I injured my shoulder on the weekend before flying out.

“This injury was plagued by me for the next few years, operations followed and I was able to find my way back to this setup.

“I was disappointed. It is so brutal when you get something close that you want so much.

“So that it was snapped so quickly, it was brutal. I thought when it happened, it was probably my trip in Rugby.”