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India Gazette
4 days ago
- Sport
- India Gazette
We began to pay our players who make it to the national camp: Indian Rugby Football Union President Rahul Bose
New Delhi [India], June 24 (ANI): Rugby India President Rahul Bose revealed that the Rugby Federation has begun providing financial compensation to Indian players selected for the national camps, as part of broader efforts to support grassroots talent. Under Bose's leadership, Rugby India launched the inaugural edition of the Rugby Premier League (RPL), India's first-ever franchise-based rugby competition, which began on June 15. The RPL, touted as the world's first franchise-format rugby league, has six founding franchises in the opening edition. The franchises in the competition are Bengaluru Bravehearts, Chennai Bulls, Delhi Redz, Hyderabad Heroes, Kalinga Black Tigers, and the Mumbai Dreamers. Speaking to ANI, Rahul Bose said, 'As a federation, we began to pay our players who would make the national camp. I'm taking all ages across the entire country who play the nationals, which is 1600 players. 140 players who make the national camps in under-18 and under-20 boys and girls. So, say about 220 players. We're paying them now. In five weeks of national camp, in the first week, this much money, in the second week this much money, in the third week, this much in the fourth week, this much and in the fifth week this much.' Further, the 57-year-old actor shared that players representing India are also eligible for bonuses. 'If you play for India, this much, these are the bonuses. Now, a boy or a girl or a man or a woman who plays rugby at the national level is going home with about 40 to 60,000 rupees per camp. I've had people say, because of you, not me, he's talking about the board, the house is on fire. When you're dealing with a sport that is played by the poorest of the poor, you're not just dealing with kabliyat. You're dealing with an entire ecosystem,' he added. Across the 34 matches, the RPL offers Indian players a great platform to rub shoulders and work alongside the most elite rugby players and coaches worldwide. The grand finale of Season 1 is scheduled for June 29, promising two weeks of high-octane rugby action as the teams vie for the coveted trophy. (ANI)
South China Morning Post
6 days ago
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Rugby Premier League: Hong Kong sevens ace stunned to be recognised in India
This month's Rugby Premier League in India is a welcome boost for sevens in troubled times, according to Hong Kong's Michael Coverdale, who said playing for Delhi Redz was also revealing the secrets to the All Blacks' success. Having made his Redz debut last week, Coverdale hailed the chance to test himself alongside world-class performers in the inaugural edition, a six-franchise, two-week tournament played over four-minute quarters at the 7,000-capacity Mumbai Football Arena. As the event set out to fuel a rugby boom in India, Coverdale was surprised to discover that players there knew all about him. The Redz were fourth after five of their 10 pool matches, with the top four reaching next Saturday's semi-finals before the final next Sunday. Organisers Rugby India and GMR Sports have committed to staging the RPL for at least 10 years, and Coverdale hopes to remain part of it. 'There's a lot of negativity around the state of the game,' Coverdale said, noting Ireland's closure of its sevens programme, and World Rugby cutting its elite series from 12 teams to eight – reducing Hong Kong's hopes of promotion. 'But [the RPL] is a great advert for sevens. It's a cool concept … something unique. I think it will bring more eyes to the product and give guys more opportunities.
India Gazette
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India Gazette
Rugby Premier League kicks off with grand opening as India's top players unveil trophy
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 15 (ANI): One of the most anticipated events on the sporting calendar, the Rugby Premier League (RPL), officially got underway with a spectacular opening ceremony at the Shahaji Raje Bhosale Sports Complex (Andheri Sports Complex), Mumbai. The glittering event saw the presence of Bollywood luminaries and key dignitaries, including Abhishek Bachchan - Sports Ambassador and Friend of Rugby, GBS Raju - Business Chairman, Airports, GMR Group, Rahul Bose - President, Rugby India, along with franchise owners, international players, and prominent personalities from the worlds of sports and entertainment. Together, they unveiled the league's uniquely crafted trophy, setting the stage for the tournament ahead. The trophy -- a 22-inch tall masterpiece -- features a Black Nickel-plated human hand holding aloft a Gold-plated rugby ball. Its design reflects the core values of rugby: teamwork, strength, and collective effort. The seamless fusion of metals symbolises India's rich heritage and dynamic present, embodying the spirit of unity that defines the sport, as per the RPL press release. The evening's festivities were further elevated by a special performance from singer-composer Shankar Mahadevan, who rendered the Rugby Anthem, energising the packed stadium. Among those joining the celebrations were Bollywood icons Shabana Azmi, Siddharth Roy Kapoor, Vidya Balan, Aparshakti Khurana, and Ishwak Singh, among others, adding star power to the grand launch. The inaugural season of the Rugby Premier League will witness six teams battling it out across 34 matches over the next fortnight. The league features 30 Indian players, selected from an auction pool of 71, alongside international legends from across the world, making it a truly global showcase of talent. The grand finale of Season 1 is scheduled for June 29, promising two weeks of high-octane rugby action as the teams vie for the coveted trophy. (ANI)
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First Post
15-06-2025
- Sport
- First Post
Rugby Premier League 2025: Teams, venues, schedule, live streaming and everything else you need to know
Rugby sevens will be hoping to leave a mark in India and gain new followers with the inaugural Rugby Premier League, a joint-venture between Rugby India and GMR Sports that features some of the best players in the world and gets underway on Sunday, 15 June. read more Several sports have been trying to gain a foothold in the cricket-mad nation that is India, which also happens to have quite the history when it comes to field hockey, in recent years. Rugby sevens – a fast-paced variant of rugby union – hopes to leave a mark and gain some following among Indian sports fans with the inaugural Rugby Premier League (RPL), which gets underway on Sunday, 15 June. Here's everything you need to know about the franchise-based rugby sevens league, which is a joint venture between Rugby India and GMR Sports and features some of the best players in the world playing alongside top Indian talent: STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD How many teams will be taking part in the inaugural season of the Rugby Premier League? A total of six teams will be taking part in the inaugural season of the Rugby Premier League – Bengaluru Bravehearts, Chennai Bulls, Delhi Redz, Hyderabad Heroes, Kalinga Black Tigers and Mumbai Dreamers. Here are the 13-player squads for the six RPL franchises: Delhi Redz: Matteo Graziano, Michael Coverdale, Raj Kumar, Moritz Noll, Matias Osadczuk, Alejandro Laforga, Deepak Punia, Sunil Chawan, Mohit, Rajdeep Saha, Patrick Okongo, Jordan Conroy; Coach: Tomasi Cama Hyderabad Heroes: Manuel Asensi, Sambit Pradhan, Terio Veilawa, Max Roddick, Prince Khatri, Javed Hussein, Sukumar Hembrom, Sumit Roy, Joji Nasova; Coach: DJ Forbes Kalinga Black Tigers: Kyle Tremblay, Harry McNulty, Deepraj Rajabhosale, Ethan Turner, Rosko Specman, James Thiel, Maurice Longbottom, Asis Sabar, Arjun Mahato, Ajay Deswal, Pardeep Singh, Lucas Lacamp, Perry Baker; Coach: Mike Friday Chennai Bulls: Nikias Lohe, Muhammed Ep, Vinay A, Akhil Anand, Joaquin Pellandini, Filipe Sauturaga, Joseva Talacolo, Terry Kennedy, Alexander Davis, Vallabh Patil, Shanawaz Ahmed; Coach: Ben Gollings Mumbai Dreamers: Aaron Cummings, Elias Hancock, Rhys James, Neeraj, Devendra Padir, Nayan K, Waisea Nacuqu, Briar Barron, Henry Hutchison, James Turner, Ganesh Majhi, Akash Balmiki; Coach: Tim Walsh STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Bengaluru Bravehearts: Tone Shiu, Scott Curry, Suresh Kumar, Iowane Teba, Mak Chung, Akuila Rokolisoa, Liam Poulton, Mohit Khatri, Karan Rajbhar, Arpan Chhetri, Prashant Singh, Pol Pla; Coach: Francisco Hernandez Which cities will host the inaugural Rugby Premier League? All the matches in the inaugural season will be hosted in Mumbai – at the Mumbai Football Arena in the Andheri Sports Complex. What format will the Rugby Premier League be played in? The Rugby Premier League will be played in the rugby sevens format – in which each team comprises seven players instead of 15 that is the case with rugby union. And being the faster format, it is not expected to go on for more than 22 minutes – after four quarters of four minutes each with a two-minute break between each quarter. A rugby union game, on the other hand, spans a total of 80 minutes that is divided into two halves of 40 minutes each. Where can I watch the live coverage of the inaugural Rugby Premier League? The 2025 Rugby Premier League will be telecast on the Star Sports Network and will also be streamed live on JioHotstar. Full schedule of Rugby Premier League 2025 The inaugural RPL season will take place from 15 to 29 June. Here's the detailed schedule for the season:
India Gazette
15-06-2025
- Sport
- India Gazette
Season 1 of Rugby Premier League commences from June 15
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 15 (ANI): The wait for Season 1 of the Rugby Premier League (RPL) is finally ove. Fast, physical, fearless - the first ever franchise-based Rugby Sevens league in the world, which is organised by Rugby India and GMR Sports, will host the who's who from the world of rugby, in Mumbai from Sunday. Battling it out for top honours are six franchises, Bengaluru Bravehearts, Chennai Bulls, Delhi Redz, Hyderabad Heroes, Kalinga Black Tigers, and the Mumbai Dreamers. The RPL will feature 30 marquee international players from powerhouse Rugby Sevens nations, including New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Fiji, Argentina, Great Britain, Ireland, USA and Spain. Additionally, 18 international players from Canada, Hong Kong, and Germany will also be part of the tournament, enhancing the league's competitive depth. Last but not the least, the RPL will also see 30 Indian players selected from an auction pool of 71, participate alongside the international legends. Each squad will have 13 players with two Indian players required to be on the field of play at all times during the game. At any given point in time, there will be seven players on the field of play. The seven is then divided into three forwards and four backs. The forwards are the big, and physical players who will compete in the scrum and lineouts. Meanwhile, the backs are the fast, agile, and athletic players. The backs are the players who usually score most of the points in a game. 13 players - (5 Marquee + 3 Bridge + 5 Indian) + 5 Management (Head Coach, Assistant Coach, Physiotherapist, Massage Therapist and S&C). The starting Seven players in the RPL will feature two international players, two international Bridge Players + two Indian players + 1 Coaches choice. Each game will be played in four quarters which will be off four minutes each, with a break of two minutes in between each phase. The total time duration for one match is not expected to exceed 22 minutes. Season 1 of the Rugby Premier League kicks off on June 15, with a final scheduled for June 29, in Mumbai at the Shahaji Raje Bhosale Sports Complex (Andheri Sports Complex). (ANI)
