Grimes began her time in rugby at 12 years old in sunny Gibraltar, where she grew up, playing for Club de Rugby del Estrecho. After this she made the move to Hartbury College and broke into the senior Gloucester-Hartbury set up in her second year of college; she played for this year’s Premiership winners for a year before making the move further south, to the Exeter Chiefs. In that time she also represented England Under-20s, in tests against France and Scotland.