Laura Delgado’s WXV 3 Diary: 'The most important trophy of them all'

As promised in the second entry of the diary, Laura Delgado and the Leonas fulfilled their promise: a World Cup qualification. Not only did they book a ticket to England 2025, but they were also able to lift the WXV 3 trophy for the first time ever.

Already on home soil, Laura sat down to write the final page of her team’s WXV 3 adventure, starting with a newfound feeling.

“It is/was definitely a different kind of Sunday, and when I say different, I mean positively different. Going back a few hours, I couldn’t believe what we were able to achieve when the game ended. Those last few minutes were insane and crazy, making everything even more special. We worked tirelessly to get to this level, but I would be lying if it didn’t feel like a dream when that last kick wasn’t converted.”

With no time left on the clock, Fiji managed to find the try area, shortening the score to a two-point margin with a conversion still to come. If it went through the poles, it would mean Samoa was the new WXV 3 champion. If it didn’t, Spain would reign supreme. So, the important question: did Laura keep her eyes open while the conversion was taking place?

“Oh, I went back and forth thinking ‘Do I watch it or not? Do I watch it or not?’. I didn’t want to but ultimately, I didn’t close my eyes. I fully believed that my teammates would pressure the conversion and make the kicker slightly tremble and miss it. And… that’s what happened! I just remember jumping and hugging everyone, starting with my co-captain Alba Vinuesa, and then Lucía Diniz. A moment that I will never forget.”

And what was the first thing she wanted to do after the final whistle?

“I kept just asking ‘Where is my phone? I want to call my mother!’. But to be honest, it was a weird feeling. All that commotion and I just wanted to be left alone on the pitch and wander it by myself to have a breather and reflect on what we had achieved. At the same time, I also wanted to just jump around with everyone and celebrate. Happiness can come in all forms and shapes and can be displayed also in different forms and shapes.”

As in all the past diary entries, Laura provides another revelation.

“We were already informed we had qualified for the World Cup before our game started. In a previous team meeting, we decided to not keep the Hong Kong China vs Netherlands final score a secret. So, when the decisive match ended, the staff asked us to meet them on the pitch, and they announced our World Cup qualification.

"I didn’t believe in it or, better, I didn’t want to believe in it. My goal was to beat Fiji and earn our qualification. The Netherlands vs Hong Kong China didn’t change anything, to be honest. We all processed differently, as there were some who were relieved and more at peace, those who were even more nervous, but all of us shared the same goal: win and qualify with our own merits.”

But let’s backtrack for a moment. After that bone-clashing match against the Netherlands, only one hurdle remained, with one final week to process their emotions and expectations. With so much at stake, how did those final seven days go for Laura and Spain?

“The past week was dipped in emotions. We had been working and living together for the past five weeks with just one goal in our sights: to qualify for the World Cup. So those final six days were always going to pack a Godzilla-level emotional punch. I think it was important for me to talk with our mental health coach and go through those emotions and fears.

"The staff was amazing in how they scheduled our agenda, as they sought to simmer down the pressure and help us get ready for the Fiji game without any negative feelings. For example, on Wednesday we went to Hard Rock Café to have a meal and when we came back to the hotel, they had set up a type of obstacle course.

"We had to dress in costumes and go through it with the finish line being the swimming pool. When we got there, they were waiting with water pistols. It was messy, slippery and great fun. It helped us to keep our spirits high.”

Mental health has become one of the main priorities of the Spanish staff since 2018, a game-changing factor for success in Laura’s opinion,

“Those small details can make the difference. Yes, it isn’t all just fun and games, but sometimes it is good to take the pressure off, even if it is momentarily. We understood the assignment, we knew what our goals were, and what we had to do, and staff made sure to give us the right tools to fight for our dream. We practice hard, and then have our off time, like that lunch in Hard Rock Café or watching Inside Out.”

A meaningless question, but who’s your favourite emotion from Inside Out?

“Of course, it has to be Joy! It’s who I am! I like that movie so much, as the girl is trying to find who she is and goes through that challenging journey. We all dressed up in the colours representing the Emotions in the movie.”

Now going back to the game, Fiji, already qualified for the World Cup, had nothing to win or lose, resulting in a nerve-wracking encounter that went until the last play. What were your thoughts about the game?

“It was a tough game as we expected. Fiji wasn’t going to just make things easy for us and let us celebrate. They wanted revenge for last year’s defeat in WXV 3 and made things hard for us, especially in the set-piece. Our front row was heavily pressured from the get-go, adding another layer of difficulty, but we tried to counter their power with our quick backline and kicking prowess.

"Something that was astonishing for me was how we didn’t crumble or self-doubt when we made mistakes, maintaining our focus and belief. Our defence was also unreal and the backbone of our victory.”

And who was the MVP?

“Yeah, Alba [Capell] is great, isn’t she? She is just tough as nails, doesn’t fall when tackled, and works non-stop. It was inspiring to see the whole team working as one and showing their best in those critical moments like Alba did.”

For the Harlequins prop, the WXV 3 trophy-lifting surpassed all other titles won before,

“I won a couple of Premiership Women’s Rugby and Allianz Cups, as well the Women’s Rugby Europe Championship, but WXV 3 was the most important trophy of them all. All the work, sacrifice and effort that I’ve poured into my career was with the goal of helping Spain achieve great things, and I feel we have done it in WXV 3.”

With the game finished and the celebrations ensued, a casualty occurred… the WXV3 trophy was broken into two pieces.

“Yeah, it has become a bit of a tradition to break something when we win a trophy! We previously had broken a Women’s Rugby Europe Championship plate. But it was just the beginning of our celebrations. We stayed in the stadium, where we had dinner and partied, all set up by our incredible team manager. We danced, did a push-up contest, a player and a member of the staff placed a glass on their heads and had to dance without letting it fall, sang different tunes, etc.”

The 12th of October wasn’t special just because it could mean a title victory and a World Cup qualification, as it was also Laura’s final WXV campaign. Did she make any changes to her day-game formula?

“I woke up early and did my routine. Along the day I received a lot of letters, messages and calls from teammates and former colleagues wishing me good luck or giving me love. Then I sat down and wrote what could’ve been my last speech as a Spanish international, but immediately thought to myself ‘No, it won’t be the last. It can’t be the last.’. I lived that Saturday like it was a movie, with music in the background and all. And like any good movie, it ended with joy and a happy ending.”

There was no dish or food worth mentioning, but there was a novelty on the music front,

“I won a new nickname this week which is: Bimbolas. It was all thanks to a specific music from Tiago PZK, an Argentinian singer. I was already known as Bisa (which means bisabuela, the Spanish word for great grandmother) and Bimba. One morning, Monica Castelo called me ‘Hey Bimbolas, how are you today?’, and it stuck. They kept singing the tune “Bombona, Bimbolas” all the time. It became my WXV 3 theme, and I listened to it the whole week. Thank you, Monica!”

And for those wondering, the Deborah Cartas had another update.

“We got a lot of great letters, but there were a couple that caught our attention: a series of poems. They were so well-written, full of passion and encouragement, but we don’t know who wrote them. We are trying to find the author… and, no, it wasn’t me! So, if you are reading this, please contact us, as those letters were deeply special.”

With a WXV promotion and qualification for England 2025 on the bag, is it now the perfect moment for Spain to go all in in the women’s game?

“I hope people understand this isn’t the end of our journey, but the beginning. It was never going to stop with the World Cup qualification. The team wants more, especially the youngest players, who dream that women’s rugby in Spain can be professionalized. The board already told us that they want to support and invest in us even more, pushing Spain to the next level.”

And after all those weeks, practices, team meetings, interviews, and games, does Laura think women’s rugby is growing?

“Oh, it is, it is. You could see it by the reaction of our fans at home, and the thousands of messages we received since before the first game. There’s more joy, support, help, ideas, news, coverage and hands on deck. It isn’t just a marriage or an illusion anymore, it is real, and it is a global growth.”

So, was WXV a good idea?

“As I’ve already said, yes, especially for nations like Spain, Netherlands, Madagascar, Samoa, etc. We used to play so few Test matches in the past, but with WXV our agenda has greatly expanded, providing a chance for most teams to show what they can do. It was a bullseye bet from World Rugby.”

As she writes down her last words in the WXV Diary, Laura ‘Bimba’ Delgado bids not a farewell, but a see you soon to the rugby world public.

“There’s a World Cup on the horizon. I will see you all there and remember… Vamos, Leonas!”