Claire Thomas Talks Rugby, Women in Sports, and Her Favourite Trench Coat

Even when she’s not working behind a mic or in front of a camera, you’ll still find rugby broadcaster Claire Thomas by the pitch. As a self-proclaimed rugby nerd, she’s always found a certain magic to the sport: the physicality, the athleticism of the players, and the aesthetically beautiful way the team comes together at the perfect moment. And it’s this passion for the sport that’s seen her rise through the ranks to become one of the most exciting faces of rugby journalism.

She first began her career with a series of internships at various publishing houses until finally landing a role as a Digital Broadcast Journalist for Sky Sports. Since then, she’s taken her career from strength to strength and now covers the sport for some of the biggest names in the business (ITV, BBC Five Live, and TNT Sports, to name a few), even travelling the world for the most prestigious tournaments. In fact, when I caught up with her, she’d just returned from Rome to begin filming for the Six Nations ahead of the 25th anniversary of Italy joining the competition.

At Saint and Sofia, we’re inspired by talented women like Claire, who constantly strive to twist the dial against stereotypes and fight to work in a field that they love.

Saint + Sofia: How did you get into rugby? Where did the passion for sport begin for you?

Claire: “My dad played lots of different sports to a really high level – and he’s also just obsessed with sport. BBC Five Live Sport was a soundtrack in our house growing up. My parents would even phone my primary school and tell them I was sick so they could take me to Wimbledon each year.

So I think by osmosis, I just became obsessed with sports too, and then I ended up playing lacrosse internationally for a few years. But rugby specifically, I’ve always loved. I kind of always thought it was a bit magical compared to other sports.

But the big thing was that I used to tell anybody and everybody that I wanted to be the next Gabby Logan. She was my hero growing up, and she presented a lot of rugby. So I think that all brought the rugby thing together.”

Saint + Sofia: Is that how you got into journalism?

Claire: “She was the inspiration for sure. But the way I actually got in was by saying a very niche, geeky thing about rugby to the head of Sky Sports while I was working as a runner. He went away and asked to find out who the runner was, and then he asked if I could start running on all of their rugby galleries and rugby studios. I think I was quite unique to him because, at the time, there weren’t any other young women that were showing an interest in rugby.”

Saint + Sofia: It’s interesting that you say that because stereotypically rugby can seem like a male-dominated sport. Have you found it that way?

Claire: “It’s getting better 100%. I mean, last weekend I was covering a women’s premiership game and the presenter, the guest, the reporter, the co-commentator and myself were all female. And we had a female director. It’s been an incredible growth to watch. But every time anybody who is different to the traditional sports broadcaster excels in their field, it just knocks down another door for somebody else to have that opportunity.

And now I get increasing numbers of young women in my DMs who want to do what I do, and that means the world.”

Saint + Sofia: What would your advice be to those young women?

Claire: “I think my advice to anyone trying to get into the industry would be to forget that it is male-dominated, forget about your gender, forget about any external noise that you might experience because actually you only need two things. A ferocious work ethic and the fact that you love sport. If you love what you do and you get really good at it, then that’s kind of all that matters. And that will give you the strength and conviction and the ability to go on and deliver it at the top level.”

Saint + Sofia: What can we expect from women’s rugby this year?

Claire: “I would say we’re reaching the end of what has been the best-ever premiership. It’s reached the highest standard we’ve ever seen and has become the most competitive. The girls are more professional than ever. They’re more supported and more valued than ever. We’ve got the Ilona Maher factor in this country. I had the completely surreal moment of covering her first game at Bristol Bears home ground when they had to move to a bigger stadium to accommodate the demand for tickets. We had over 10,000 people at a women’s club rugby match for the first time ever outside of the finals, and that’s amazing, and that is just ricocheting around the league.

Saint + Sofia: She’s really transformed the game. And not just rugby but women’s sports in general.

Claire: “She has! I get emotional talking about this, but she has been transformative for women and young girls. Seeing her on the cover of Sports Illustrated in this swimsuit, covered in baby oil, looking like a God – there’s a generation of girls who will see that and believe that being strong is an attractive quality. They’ll grow up and think “Wow I could have muscles and be cool, and popular, and confident, and be successful, and that’s a viable goal.” I just think we’re expanding definitions of successful women with every athlete who steps out.”

Saint + Sofia: Well we’ve got to talk about clothing, so what are you looking for in your clothes for TV? How do you want them to make you feel when you’re in front of the camera?

Claire: “So, practically, I want to be warm. I work in outdoor winter sports, and the bleak reality is that sometimes, like three weeks ago, I’m presenting for hours on end in minus-four degrees. So I want something I can shove a hot water bottle down. I want shoes that will fit double socks, and I want jumpers that are stylish, but underneath, I can wear thermals. 

But I want something that feels like my clothing, not sports clothing, and not the sort of outfit that the public might assume that a rugby broadcaster would wear. If you look good and you like what you’re wearing, it adds that little imperceptible boost to your confidence. So if I’ve got clothes that are comfortable and practical, but I also like how I look, I will do a better job.”

Saint + Sofia: What are your favourite Saint + Sofia pieces?

Claire: “I bought a pair of your Victory Pants in a rich dark navy with the French flag stripes down the side, and I live in them. They’re so comfortable, but they’re also impossibly flattering. I don’t know how they do it, but the way they smooth over your bum, you never get a VPL, and they’re the right length, and they cinch your waist? Incredible.

Also, the Cambridge Jumper with the removable neck? Wow. I’ve never seen anything like that before. When I’m getting my make-up and hair done, it’s really cool because I take it off and then just slip it back on when they’re done.

And I have to mention my Odette Coat. I have it in Camel, and it’s just instantly chic. When I’m going to a cold, miserable rugby ground and I just want to look classically put together, it’s perfect. It’s just the detailing like the cinched waist and the additional layer over the back – you look sculpted from every angle.”