World Rugby’s WXV is just about to start and the biggest prize in the WXV3, alongside a promotion to the 2nd tier, is also a possibility to qualify for the 2025 Rugby World Cup.
Rugby Europe’s Spain and Netherlands will be playing for that opportunity to reach the most coveted international tournament of them all, and in this first part, we had a sit down with the Leonas skipper, Laura Delgado.
Laura, the WXV3 is the next step for Spain, as there’s a World Cup ticket still to be earned. What are your team’s goals? And is the team in high spirits for the competition?
As a team, we are ready for the WXV, as we have been working non-stop to get even the little things right. We have grown as a team and worked hard to reach our goals. The World Cup qualification is our main target, and every game will be like a final for us.
Madagascar, Netherlands, and Fiji are on your path to reach the World Cup. Do you feel your team is ready to return to the biggest spotlight of the world of rugby?
Definitely. We have been working hard for the past four years to be able to take the Leonas shirt to the highest possible level. It would be a game-changing moment for Spain if we qualified again for the World Cup. We fully recognize our responsibility of growing the game in Spain, and that we can shape the dreams of future generations. To reach England 2025, it won’t only be a way to acknowledge our efforts, but also from those who came before us and who will be here in the future.
In the 2nd game of the WXV3, you are going to face a long-time rival of the Rugby Europe Women’s Championship: Netherlands. What can you say about them? And what do you have to do to win?
Netherlands is a team that has grown over the last couple of years. They are powerful in the pack, for example, so we are going to have to focus on how to stop them and dominate in the set-piece. We are fine-tuning our strengths and making sure we score points when the opportunities present themselves.
Do you think the Rugby Europe Women’s Championship helped your team to improve and become such a fearsome force?
Yes, I think so. We see every and any competition as an opportunity to oil up our team and ready it up for competitions like the WXV, but of course, we work to be able to play at a bigger level. Unfortunately, as we don’t have the chance to play in the Six Nations, we must have this mindset of treating any game as a final. After failing to qualify for the 2021 RWC, the REWC helped us to rebuild our roster.
Do you think the future holds a promising new pathway for women’s rugby?
Without a doubt, yes! Look to Portugal and Netherlands and how they have both progressed and the noise it made in their countries. It is great for us, the Women’s Rugby Europe Championship, and the world to have this type of growth, and I do believe it is only the beginning.
Do you want to share a last message to Spain fans ahead of the WXV3?
For sure. We feel the warmth of the support from our country, and it inspires us to work even more and fight for bigger things. It’s so important for us to feel this type of support and affection at such a pivotal moment for us and our sport. Even if they are far from us, we can feel their strength and words of encouragement. Gracias por todo!
Spain 1st game is scheduled for the 27th of September (5 PM CET), facing next their Rugby Europe rivals, Netherlands, on the 5th of October (6.30 PM CET), and concluding their campaign against Fiji on the 12th of October (6.30 PM CET). All games will be live on Rugby Pass TV
By Francisco Isaac
