The Ireland Women got the required result in muddy Milan as they secured their first ever Grand Slam by edging out a tenacious Italian side 6-3.
Ulster players Grace Davitt, Larissa Muldoon, Stacey-lea Kennedy, Lauren Day, Amy Davis and Ashleigh Baxter were all involved in the match day squad, as two penalties from fullback Niamh Briggs guided the girls in green to their fifth win of the 2013 Six Nations.
But they had to show tremendous discipline and grit in defence in the closing stages as Italy, gunning for an historic third victory of the Championship, threw everything at them.
In the end, Ireland’s impressive defensive record stood to them – they had only conceded two tries and 23 points in their previous four games – as they completed a memorable clean sweep