Claudia Macdonald started her studies at St John School, Leatherhead, where she played a variety of sports including netball, tennis and hockey, she has been used to playing ball sports from a young age. However, Claudia didn't start playing rugby until the age of 19. She attended Durham University where she first went to play rugby, which she has said to be a decision she will never regret.

Claudia's international pathway started by playing with Mowden Park Sharks which led on to Wasps FC to the join England women where she came off the bench in all three of England's 2018 Quilter Internationals as well as against Wales in the 2019 Women's six nations.