Laura 'Bimba' Delgado: 'I won't stop playing unless they retire me'

Fifteen clubs. Forty Spain caps. And a career dedicated to being happy and crushing every obstacle. This is the story of titanic prop, Laura Delgado.

The 34-year-old is a living legend not only in her homeland, but at the astonishing number of clubs she played for, having travelled through France, England, the United States and New Zealand since taking up the sport in 2009 aged 19.

Her late arrival to the oval ball world was due to one reason only: the dream of becoming an Olympic hammer thrower. Having been born into a sports-mad family, Delgado was introduced to athletics as early as she can remember.

Laura Delgado (left) celebrates winning back-to-back PWR titles with Gloucester-Hartpury last season (Photo by Dan Mullan - RFU/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)

“The day I started walking, my parents pushed me to try it,” she tells RugbyPass. “Then I decided to specialise in the hammer throw, and I was very focused on doing my best, maybe even reaching the Europeans, World meetings, or even the Olympics.”

One day in 2008, she was bitten by the rugby bug.

“The thing that made me fall in love with rugby was the tackling. In my second practice, we had a full-on tackle session, and they taught me how to properly bring down the ball carrier. That closed the deal for me.”

Almost immediately, Delgado’s athletics career was discarded, much to her parents’ dismay.

“It wasn’t easy to trade the hammer throw for rugby. First, I had to say goodbye to an environment in which I pretty much was involved from the day I was born. My parents, coach, and everyone else supported me for a long time in my bid to reach the Olympics. I was able to throw the hammer far and registered a few good distances, so it wasn’t easy to just say to them ‘I’m leaving’, you know?

My parents didn’t particularly fancy me playing a contact sport. At the time, there was also that mindset of rugby being a game only for boys.

“On top of it all, I had to tell them I needed to move to Madrid so I could play 15-a-side rugby, as in Cádiz, my first-ever team, we played tens. My parents didn’t particularly fancy me playing a contact sport. At the time, there was also that mindset of rugby being a game only for boys, so I had to fight against that. Nowadays they are my biggest fans and praise my choice. Thankfully times have changed, as a good number of my youngest team-mates started to play from a very young age.”

Over the next 16 years, Delgado went from a fully amateur player to a star of Premiership Women's Rugby, having helped her former team, Gloucester, win back-to-back titles in 2023 and 2024. She also earned the curious nickname Bimba, bestowed upon her during her first ever game for Cádiz.

“I was nervous, as most of my team-mates were very experienced players. I asked my coach, ‘what do I have I to do?’ and he just said ‘Laura, pick up the ball and run with it. Just like what we do in our practices!’

“So, I did exactly that. I caught the ball and just ran against the opposition. Suddenly, I heard people from the stands shouting to me ‘Bimba! Bimba!’, you know, like the noises written in comics - ‘Boom! Ouch! Bang! Bimba!’ So, every time I crashed against a tackler, someone would shout ‘Bimba’ and that was it.”

Her days as a Cádiz player were short-lived, as one of her team-mates, who played for Sanse Scrum Rugby, a Madrid club, invited her to try out in the Spanish capital. From that moment, everything changed.

Delgado's Spain fell short of qualifying for the 2021 Rugby World Cup but have their sights trained on reaching England 2025 (Photo by Giorgio Perottino - World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images)

“I was still learning the laws, and getting used to what to do on the pitch, but I couldn’t say no to that invitation, even if it was just for one practice. During Easter vacation, I travelled to Madrid for that only training. Fortunately, it went from one week to more than a year. Moving to Madrid changed my whole life, as it opened a new realm of possibilities and opportunities.”

Thanks to her build, leg strength and height, Delgado was immediately drafted to the front-row section. Fortunately for Spain, she quickly fell in love with the prop life.

“Prop or nothing, that’s what I say! I always loved playing in the front row, and when I had the chance to play as a number eight when I played in the United States, it didn’t make me reconsider. I just love it.”

In 2015, seven years after taking up the sport, Delgado finally debuted for Spain against the Netherlands in Madrid. This was the beginning of a long and deeply passionate relationship.

“After dealing with a serious injury in 2014 and missing the chance to be called up for the World Cup training squad, my debut was against the Netherlands. It was a different era for Spanish rugby as a national side, with a very seasoned and experienced squad that had sufficient quality to challenge the top sides in Europe. I had the opportunity to share the locker room with those hard-working women, and my only thought was to give my all to them, so I could go home happy.

No more ifs, we have to get that ticket to England in 2025. Every game will be like a final.

“When that game arrived, I acknowledged well the massive responsibility on my shoulders of representing my country. For me, it was easy to pour my heart and soul into it, as I wanted to give my max for me, my team-mates, and my country.”

Delgado went on to captain her country and play at the 2017 Rugby World Cup. After failing to qualify for the 2021 edition, Spain are gunning for a place at England 2025 as they aim to progress through WXV3. They must vie with Netherlands, Madagascar, Hong Kong China and Samoa in the lowest of the three sections.

“We have just one goal: qualify for the World Cup,” Delgado says. “No more ifs, we have to get that ticket to England in 2025. Every game will be like a final, and we can’t take the foot off the gas pedal.

“It was a great idea setting up WXV, as we have more Test matches to play. I am from a time when Spain played two games per year, and that isn’t enough to boost growth or develop a good and confident squad. There’s still a gap between the Tier One and Tier Two, but with the WXV we can have the chance to play against stronger sides and get us closer to the level of the Six Nations teams. It’s the way forward.”

The Spanish jersey demanded huge sacrifice, but it still holds an immense allure for Delgado all these years since her fist cap.

“It means everything to me. It means I am working well, showing my best, and I am still able to play this sport at the highest level possible. Let me reveal something to you… On the first night of our team camps, I couldn’t sleep with the anticipation and excitement of being with my fellow Spanish team-mates. The only way I am leaving the national team is if they eject me from it or retire me. To be a Leona has meant and still means the world to me.”

While at Exeter, Delgado won the 2022 Allianz Cup (Photo by Ryan Hiscott - RFU/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)

Her Test career has been buttressed by rich experiences across the rugby globe. In 2022, in true Delgado fashion, the prop decided it was time for a new challenge. She boarded a plane to New Zealand, seeking opportunity in an iconic land where rugby is religion.

“As Spain didn’t qualify for the 2021 Rugby World Cup [played in 2022, due to the COVID pandemic] I had a window of opportunity to go to New Zealand. I always wanted to go there and try to mingle in the rugby and life culture. After a short selection process, I decided to contact the Hawke's Bay Rugby Union to understand how I could join the squad. It was the very first time in my career I was writing a letter of submission, with my full CV, recommendation letters, videos, the works!

"After a few days, I got a call from them, saying ‘we loved your CV, but we are an amateur side and can’t pay you or even promise a spot in the team. If you want to come for a try-out, we would be happy to open the doors for you.’ It was an eye-opening moment. I was challenged to get out of my comfort zone, and I ultimately decided to get on a plane and travel to Hawke’s Bay.”

When she fetched up at training, Delgado was staggered by what she saw.

“Imagine, more than 50 players in the first practice. Fifty! I was welcomed by the board members and coaching staff, with them just saying ‘Just enjoy it’, which I did. The first practice was done, and the coach just said ‘Welcome and we are happy to have you here. See you in the next training!’ In the end, we ended up winning the Championship title against Otago and I got to fully enjoy the New Zealand rugby experience, one that I won’t and can’t ever forget.”

After spells as far and wide as Tarbes, Philadelphia and Madrid, Delgado made England her home. She has turned out for Exeter, Gloucester-Hartpury and for the new season, in a player/coach role, Harlequins.

The 2023 showpiece stands proud in her English highlights, when Gloucester-Hartpury retained their title against one of Delgado’s old clubs.

I was going to have to scrummage against one of my best friends, Hope Rogers, someone who I shared a lot of games, practices, and memories with.

“One of the best moments of my life,” she says. “I still have shivers remembering it, not only because the stands were fully packed with more than 10,000 fans, but also because of the opposing side, Exeter, my former club.

“I was going to have to scrummage against one of my best friends, Hope Rogers, someone who I shared a lot of games, practices, and memories with. In that season, Gloucester-Hartpury had one mindset of doing things: game by game. Everything came down to that match and in the end, we were crowned champions.”

English women’s rugby has experienced unprecedented growth in its popularity and professionalisation, with the league broadcast by TNT Sports and record attendances for Red Roses internationals.

“I think it is growing, and the upcoming World Cup in England will help even further,” Delgado says. “They are now the top team in the world, with the best club competition, with their stadiums always packed to the brim, and the level of professionalism in the clubs keeps catching me by surprise.

“For instance, in the Harlequins the men and women are treated exactly the same, given the same tools and opportunities. The women’s game is growing by the second even outside of the sporting environment.  Female players have been approached by private enterprises, be it clothes or food-related, to be sponsored by those companies. The key word here is opportunity. We are being allowed to expose ourselves more, to talk about our issues and challenges, our goals and objectives. I think that is massive for us.”

Delgado signs off with an empowering message for the next generation of rugby playing women.

“Nothing is impossible if you believe in yourself. Rugby challenges you to not give up, to never say no, to contest against the biggest players. Those are the core values that rugby has to offer to young girls.”