Laura Delgado ‘Bimba’, in her last tackle

International Laura Delgado ‘Bimba’, historic rugby player and captain of Las Leonas, ends a career of almost two decades to take on a new concern as forwards coach of TC Géminione of the teams in the American professional league.

Bimba, born in Jerez de la Frontera and who turned 36 last April, left her rugby shirt in May, after playing her last game in the ranks of the English Harlequins, upon discovering that enjoy training other players more.

“I am more focused on the performance of the girls I train than on my own”admitted the Jerez native in an interview with EFE, in which she highlighted that she will continue to be linked to her sport from the United States.

Bimba has been one of the references of Spanish rugby. Now, he will stop chasing each ball as if it were the last to share it with a chalk and a blackboard.

“After retiring as a player from the Spanish team last year, I realized that what calls me is to take a step forward, continue sharing rugby and make this sport grow in another way”, he stated.

With 53 caps, eight European Championships and two World Cups behind himBimba admits that it is still difficult for him to believe everything he has experienced.

“Not only for sporting merits, but for all the people I’ve met, the clubs I’ve been to and the all the experiences that I have had the luck and honor to live”accurate.

Her career took her through Spain, France, England, New Zealand and the United States. The sherry was one of the first Spanish to sign a professional contract when the English Premiership became the first professional club league in the world.

“I was not aware that I could be a professional player until England gave me that opportunity. For me it was a very important milestone”he recalled.

Among all the titles won there is one that stands out at the club level, the English Premiership. “It is the best league in the world and playing in that final as a starter was incredible”but if something weighs above all, it is the successes with the Spain shirt.

“The titles with the national team are the most significant for me”he assured, although not everything was celebrations and not qualifying for the 2017 World Cup still stings him.

When she looks back, the image she retains is that of a young woman who is impatient and demanding of herself. “He had a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of ambition and he was very demanding. Now, I would tell that girl to calm down a little more and enjoy herself.because everything was going to come,” he argued.

She smiles as she remembers the origin of the nickname that has accompanied her throughout her career. ‘Bimba’ was born from an onomatopoeia, from boom, which resulted in “bimbaza”, and from that player who “only thought about knocking down” rivals on the fieldalthough outside of it there was always “room for laughter.”

In recent years, the player who gives her name to one of the sports fields located next to the Chapín stadium in her native Jerez has witnessed the transformation of women’s rugby.

“In England I have been able to see how the fans support rugby and it is brutal”he points out. In SpainHowever, it observes a dual reality. The lower categories continue to grow, but consider that the senior level has fallen behind.

“All nations are becoming professional and we are not. There is a fairly large margin for improvement,” he stressed about a problem that he wants to participate in later.

Although before, Bimba faces the challenge of being the new specific forward coach at TC Gémini, one of the teams in the American professional league.