Con mucha ilusión.
Sorry to begin the column with a Spanish sentence, but there isn’t another way to describe what the first week and a half of the Rugby World Cup has represented to us.
Ilusión can mean ‘excited’, but I think the word loses something when translated.
It has happened so much since we left Spain and arrived here in England. So many great moments and episodes have already taken place. I haven’t stopped smiling since we got here.
I was smiling so hard on Sunday that I felt my cheekbones hurting. But how could I not smile when there were thousands of people supporting Spain in our opening game? And that was the culmination of eight brilliant days, so let me tell you what other moments happened that made us feel cherished.
Portia Woodman-Wickliffe receives Women’s Top 50 award
New Zealand Women’s superstar Portia Woodman-Wickliffe spoke to RugbyPass after receiving the prestigious, inaugural RugbyPass Women’s Top 50 award this week.
Portia Woodman-Wickliffe receives Women’s Top 50 award
New Zealand Women’s superstar Portia Woodman-Wickliffe spoke to RugbyPass after receiving the prestigious, inaugural RugbyPass Women’s Top 50 award this week.
Let me start with last Wednesday. We were walking through York when a little girl suddenly noticed me and started running towards me to grab my hand. She then said to us, ‘Bimba, I am going to watch you play on Sunday!’ Like, how can you not feel ilusión?
We often wonder if our fans are truly there for us, if they genuinely support the team, and if they engage with our interviews, grasp our message, and acknowledge us. All those doubts were cast out away, not only because of Sunday or that moment on Wednesday, but due to the whole package of marvellous moments.
On Saturday, we were blindsided by a big welcome at the York Museum. Family, friends, former players, etc. They were all waiting for us. It meant the world to us. They were there for us.
The whole first week in York was beyond special. Every day was like Christmas to us, as there was always a new surprise waiting to be unwrapped. We didn’t feel tired after our practice sessions. It was the quite the opposite, as the energy around us was always positive.
It has been emotionally packed event after emotionally packed event. The team’s official reception, for example. We weren’t expecting to have the chance to speak, but World Rugby and the World Cup committee invited us to do so.
It was a massive occasion for us, as we had to seize the opportunity to share our experience and make a difference for the little girls who might be wondering if they should join our sport.
Alba Vinuesa and I, with the rest of our squad, wrote down something that could spark a reaction from the crowd. We were very nervous, but if we didn’t do it now, when would we have the chance to share our thoughts on a world stage again?
The moment came, and the first thing I said was, ‘¡Hola! ¡Kia Ora! ¡Bula! ¡ Hello!’. We wanted to start by acknowledging the many cultures represented in this World Cup. And then I explained why this World Cup is much more than a sports event, as it is, in reality, a platform for change and progress.
I didn’t imagine that the speech would make any impact, but in the end, it did. Claudia Peña recorded the whole thing, and in the video, someone says, ‘Se lo ha sacado’, which means ‘She nailed it’. I have goosebumps every time I think about that moment, as it resonated with so many people.
That’s the goal of the women’s game, of our World Cup and our sacrifice and passion: to spread the word, that we are here, that we exist and that we will keep marching on. It was a ‘wow’ moment of seismic proportions.
Even the President of World Rugby asked us to share the speech with him. Again… when will this ever happen again in my life?
And that’s why I am enjoying every single second of this experience. To remember where I came from. To remember why my teammates and I keep running even when there seems to be no road ahead. To remember why we are doing this. To remember where I came from.
I’ve never told this to anyone, but I was only able to stay in rugby because I earned a grant for being an honorary student at my uni. It allowed me to go to Madrid, and have all my expenses paid, as my parents didn’t have the means to do it. They had already sacrificed so much for our family, and I didn’t want to be a burden.
However, I did lie to my parents, saying that I was going to Madrid to take a master’s degree, when the sole reason was for me to play rugby for SANSE.
YORK, ENGLAND – AUGUST 24: Fans of Spain before the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 Pool C match between New Zealand and Spain at York Community Stadium on August 24, 2025 in York, England. (Photo by Will Palmer/Sports Press Photo/Getty Images)
Without that grant, I wouldn’t be here and experiencing these joyous moments. I want more girls to join us, and I want to show them they can enjoy these moments as well when their time comes.
The World Cup makes you reflect deeply about your role in a team, especially when you are the second oldest player in the squad. I question myself as how can I help them? What can I do to inspire them, as they have grown so much this past years?
I want to be here to be useful to my teammates. It is all about them. It is all about the Leonas. They are my sisters, my best friends, the ones who help me lift up when I am down, who celebrate with me when I am feeling over the moon. That’s why I am still here, and that’s why I kept working non-stop for the last four years.
For us, the last eight years have been all about reaching the destination and then enjoying the journey. I don’t want to think about what comes next. I want to laugh with them, tackle a Black Fern with Lourdes Alameda, support Claudia Peña when she slices through Ireland, and sing the most Spanish songs ever with Monica Castelo.
That’s what makes the World Cup special. It is an event that breaks all boundaries. It is the peak. And you should enjoy your time here.
That’s why we have so many team games, like our karaoke evening. Our World Cup guides were not prepared for it, let me tell you! Everyone has to sing! It doesn’t matter if it is me, our team manager, the physio, etc. Everyone should be part of our pride and join in on some fun and relaxation.
Miguelón [Miguel Velasco], our lineouts coach, stole the show every single time he sang! This is also part of the World Cup. A wholesome event that ranges from the competitive stuff to team bonding moments.
And we welcome new team members with the same love, like Annie Poole, my Harlequins team manager, who’s one of our World Cup guides.
It is like having a family member by my side the whole time. I feel very thankful to have had the chance to share this last ride with her. That’s why I made a bracelet with the words ‘RWC SPAIN’ with the Harlequins colours for her. She’s part of the team; she’s part of us. For me, those details are what make a team become a real unified group.
However, before I put the pen down for today, I want to share my biggest fear: the aftermath of the World Cup.
How will I accept the end? How will I deal with the fact that it is over? Well, those are questions for another day. For now, it is World Cup time for Bimba.