Cláudia Peña Hidalgo. Born and raised in the magnificent, colorful city of Barcelona, the 22-year-old broke into RugbyPass‘ Top 50 after another monstrous season in Women’s Premiership Rugby and impressive Test performances.
Although it may seem familiar to most readers, this is a first for Spanish rugby, as a Spanish player has never before been included in the world’s best.
The rise of this defender is not only a milestone for one of the oldest rugby communities in the world, but also a standard that will drive the game forward and inspire young players to believe they can be the next Clàudia Peña Hidalgo.
Inspired by her father to pick up the oval ball, Hidalgo quickly became a lively and furious tornado who swept everything in her path, rose through the ranks and became one of the biggest prospects in Spanish sport.
According to Laura Delgado, Hidalgo still has room to go even further.
“What’s more incredible and crazy to me is that she didn’t hit the ceiling.
“Clàudia’s talent knows no bounds and I am sure she will become a member of the top 10 players of the world club. Just watch and wait.”
Delgado shared the same locker room as RugbyPass Top 50 player in the last four years, who has witnessed the growth of her teammate since 2022.
Ex Harlequins prop shared the story of their first meeting: “My first time meeting Claudia was at Spain training camp held in Madrid. She was 17, but her skills were already well refined.”
She continued: “I’ve heard about her and how talented she is, but even knowing that, I was amazed at how good she is.”
At just 17 years old, Hidalgo could already hold her own against much older players and was capable of doing special things even in her first senior appearance.
“The way she had the fundamental skills polished at such a young age was undoubtedly impressive. She was already at a level that you only unlock after playing as a senior for a few years.”
But despite his talent and prodigy quality, Delgado explained that the young talent has never shown an iota of arrogance – quite the opposite, in fact, as the backup quarterback is always looking to help others.
“I don’t think Claudia realized how talented she is and how far she can go. She is very humble and always shares her knowledge, experience and herself with everyone.
“For me, Clàudia Peña Hidalgo is the standard that every player should aspire to.”
Among the many moments that showcased her former teammate’s talent, Delgado recalled Hidalgo pouncing on PWR and immediately made a name for herself.
“Her first games for Harlequins were something else. She made an immediate impact and quickly grabbed everyone’s attention.”
“She’s never played at that level before, and to come to PWR and earn a starting spot in the first few months was crazy. It’s only within the reach of a special kind of player.”
Over two seasons, the center scored 10 tries, set up another 11 and played a key role in a number of Harlequins’ victories, making her mark in the backline despite seemingly lacking imposing physical size.
Delgado added that this is not a deciding factor for an athlete like Hidalgo: “Although she may look short to be an international center, it does not affect the way she plays or how good she is.
“Look at how hard he tackles, how he continues to fight for the ball and how he looks to be involved in every single play. Size doesn’t matter when it comes down to it.”
Claudia Peña Hidalgo’s rise to one of the RugbyPass‘ Top 50 rugby players will make waves in Spain, potentially attracting bigger audiences and new athletes.
Delgado explained: “It will have a huge impact on our community and even the wider sporting community here in Spain.
“Having someone like Clàudia among the best in the world, it will attract more attention and potentially attract more kids to play rugby.”
For the prop, who played for Gloucester Hartpury, Harlequins, Exeter Chiefs and the Barbarians, in addition to helping Spain win several European Women’s Rugby Championships, to be in the top 50 is something pretty significant.
“It is historic that Spanish rugby has a player in the Top 50, and she fully deserves it.
“I had the opportunity to play with her for several years, and I can honestly say that Klaudija works to the point of exhaustion.
“Her rise was not only due to talent, but also due to the many hours she spent in the gym and learning the game.”
Despite Spain failing to qualify for the women’s knockout stage Rugby World Cup 2025 and Harlequins not making it to the PWR semi-finals, Hidalgo has always performed at her best, looking to steal the headlines and spotlight.
Among the many great moments in which the backup fullback appears, Delgado highlighted one off the field that proves just how exceptional her former international and club teammate really is.
“For us former players, it means a lot to have Clàudia in the top 50 in the world. I remember playing the Big Game in December 2025 and seeing Claudia’s face on one of the main banners.
“It showed that we in Spain have talented players who can become the bearers of the sport.”
When challenged to define Clàudia Peña Hidalgo in one word, the former prop and now director of Club de Rugby Atlético Portuense jumped at the answer.
“Brutal, and I speak it in Spanish. Brutal is more than amazing, more than special, and reserved only for a select few.”
