“I am a 20-year-old Spanish girl who plays rugby, who initially wanted only to have fun but quickly fell in love with the sport. I am a rugby player. And I am proud of that”
This is who Eider García is, and who rugby fans should be eager to know more about, as the youngest member of the Leonas will feature for her country in the upcoming Women’s Rugby World Cup.
However, she is not only the youngest, but also one of the tallest and heaviest members of the roster, with her 186cms and 135kgs being put to good use. In a country where she is an exception, García still remembers her first camp with the Spanish senior squad back in 2022.
‘This Energy Never Stops’ – Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025
‘This Energy Never Stops’ – Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025
“I remember some of my teammates being shocked because of my size.” García said with a laugh,”It was a funny reaction, but I didn’t get upset as Spain is a nation not known for having tall and big players, and I was an exception at the time. However, things are changing, as there are more big girls coming through the ranks.”
Born in 2005, García was raised in the Basque Country and from a young age tried more than one sport, with rugby becoming part of her life when she was only 6. Although she has no memories from her first encounter with the rugby ball, she is fully aware of how good the experience was for her.
“I have no recollection of that first practice session, as I was very young. My parents drove me to the Durango Rugby training grounds, and I was bewildered by what I encountered. People quickly embraced me as one of their own, and I received a lot of support, help and love from everyone. I might not remember that first day, but the warm feelings still live within me.”
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Whilst she gave an honest try to basketball, only rugby fully accepted her, with the sport showing that her size wasn’t a problem, but an advantage.
“I’ve been big since I was little, and sometimes it brought a bit of hardship to my life. But in rugby, my size wasn’t an issue or something that I should feel ashamed of.
“People looked after me for who I was. I wasn’t sidelined because of my weight and size. My coaches taught me how to make the most out of my body. That’s why rugby is a special family to me.”
After nine years with Durango Rugby, Eider García would make the jump to Eíbar RT, becoming a member of one the newest contenders for the Liga Iberdrola, Spain’s top women’s division. However, due to her being 16 at the time, she couldn’t feature in the front-row and had to play in the secondrow.
“I had to play for a full season as a lock, because the Liga Iberdrola [Spain women’s first division] didn’t allow for a U18 to play as a prop. Contrary to what people might think, I loved playing in that position. It was a great experience, as it helped me pick up a few new skills.”
However, once she could play an official a game as a prop, García went right back to it.
“But being a prop is different. I immensely appreciate my position, as it is quite unique. Most players can’t play as a prop; you need the right set of skills, knowledge and physicality to play in it.
“We are technical players, our work has to be precise on the scrum, or it won’t amount to anything. We have to be low, get our timings right, find a way to control the opposite prop, etc. Again, it is a unique position, one that rugby should value even more.”
García, who’s fully in love with her life as a prop, can easily explain why she is so in-tune with the role and why it impacts so heavily in any given game.
“The set-piece has the power to swing and shift a game’s momentum, and that’s one reason why I like it so much. People think the maul is just chaos when there’s a strategy to it, and it depends on whether you are a lifter, jumper, first ball receiver, etc. It’s not just the back line that has secrets and shadow tactics!
After one year with Eibar, García was called to take part in a training camp of the Spanish national team. She made an instant impact and was selected to play against Colombia for the Spain ‘A’ side.
“I was 17 when I featured in my first game for Spain, even if it wasn’t considered a full Test Match cap.
“As anyone can imagine, it was a special day. I was nervous because I was getting the chance to play for my country and alongside some of the biggest names of the Leonas, but it was always my goal. I had worked long hours and extra days to reach that level. And on the 10th of February of 2022, I got my first shot.”
With memories of her first moments with the Spanish national team coming to her mind, she remembers meeting Laura ‘Bimba’ Delgado for the first time, someone she viewed as her role model.
“’Bimba’ was and is my role model, and to have the chance to share this journey with her is beyond special.
“I didn’t watch much women’s game when I was growing up, but I knew who Bimba was. I went crazy when I went to my first camp, seeing all those legends there. I even took pictures with ‘Bimba’ in case it was the last time that I got to go there.”
With a new whole ocean of experiences coming her way, García had to be ready for more changes, with the biggest happening in 2022, a move to Élite 1 Lyon OU.
“I was finishing my bachelor’s degree and playing for Eibar when I got a call from Lyon. I felt it was like a once-in-a-lifetime ticket, and I couldn’t say no to that even if it meant pausing my education. I needed to find out if I wanted to be a professional rugby player.”
Being 17 years old at the time, the tighthead prop had to leave everything behind if she wanted to go big.
“It was going to be the biggest change of my life, as I had to go live in France, learn a new language and be far from my family. I stayed, but when my parents went home after driving me to Lyon, I thought of going with them. Fortunately, I made the correct decision, and I stayed in France.”
For García, the move to France was one of those moments that showed that a woman could be a pro player, something that seemed improbable when she first started. With the growth of the women’s game, she acknowledges that Spain has followed the trend.
“I was one of only two girls playing rugby in my first rugby practice. Most clubs didn’t have a women’s team. However, it has completely changed since then.
“We are more nowadays, and not only in quantity, but also in quality. There’s more talent and girls who want to have a career. It has been a transformative era for the women’s game, and I hope it continues to improve.”
Being one of the youngest players to have capped for Spain in the last twenty years, García is seen as a flagbearer for the new generations, even if she refuses that role for the time being.
“I still don’t see myself as a role model for young players, because I am still very young! But I want young girls to see that they can belong in a sport even if they are big and have broad shoulders. They don’t have to resent their bodies or think they can’t have a great life and sports career. I am proud of myself, and so should they.”
With the increasing chance of playing her first game at such a big stage as the World Cup, García expects the women’s game to continue to grow and expand, inspiring even more women to join the ranks.
“My wish is for more girls to not only dream about having a sports career, but to go for it without any regrets or fears. We need the women’s game in Spain to continue to develop, and I think it starts with the Leonas getting more recognition. If more young girls are exposed to us, they will be inspired to reach the same level.”
As the alarm clock goes off, García allows a smile to come out as she is about to go for another training session with the Spanish national team, feeling complete yet again.
“Rugby is like gravity, as it pulls you towards it. It is not like an obsession or a vice, but it definitely makes you want more. One more game, one more scrum session, one more game, one more team meeting, etc.
“Sometimes I can’t explain why it is so important for me, but rugby makes me smile and feel challenged. I am a rugby player, and I feel proud to be able to say it.”