Latest news with #ScottCurry
RNZ News
12 hours ago
- Sport
- RNZ News
Rugby Premier League looks to revive Indian game through sevens league
Former New Zealand captain Scott Curry, who will feature in the Indian RPL, scores a try in the 2019 World Series event in Hamilton. Photo: Photosport Nearly 150 years after the demise of Calcutta Football Club resulted in the creation of rugby's oldest international trophy, a new sevens league was launched this month with the aim of reviving the gladiatorial sport in India. The Rugby Premier League (RPL) has recruited top internationals from the World Sevens circuit to play alongside locals in six franchises under broadcast-friendly rule variations. Organisers not only want to lead a revival of local rugby to the extent that India one day qualifies for the Olympics, but believe they can help revolutionise the future of the game worldwide. "Rugby in India is not so popular and not because it's not played, it's played in more than 250 districts in India and there's a lot of talent pool available, but because people have not seen it," Satyam Trivedi, chief executive of co-organisers GMR Sports, told Reuters. "It has not been commercialised, originally or globally. It is a very aspirational sport. In countries like the UK, Australia, New Zealand, it's a private schoolboy sport, which is not how it is seen in India. "I'm sure with the league getting commercials, going on broadcast, some of the finest athletes of the world coming and participating, the audiences will see it and the sport will catch up." The launch of the RPL comes at a time when sevens, which took off after its inclusion for the 2016 Olympics in Brazil, is facing challenges. Financial pressures have led to cutbacks in some programmes, with Ireland ending its men's programme and Britain's men's and women's going part-time at the end of July. World Rugby plans to introduce a three-division regular season in 2026, increasing the number of events to make the sport more cost-effective and competitive. Unlike World Sevens tournaments, organised on national lines, each RPL squad features five top-level "marquee" players, five from India, and three more internationals dubbed "bridge" players. Scott Curry, who played 321 times for New Zealand's All Blacks Sevens team and represents the Bengaluru Bravehearts in the RPL, believes the franchise model could be a peek into the sport's global future. "The World Series has been changing a lot and there's a little bit of uncertainty there but to see something like this, a franchise league ... I think it could be the future of the game going forward for sure," Curry said. "Having franchises where players from all over the world can come and play together along with local Indian players is really exciting for our sport." Rugby India is another co-organiser of the RPL and its President Rahul Bose senses a major opportunity to get the eyes of 1.4 billion people on the game through the country's potential bid for the 2036 Summer Olympics. "After Indian hockey, we want to be the second team, and by that time (2036), it'll be 80 years that there's no other team that's gone to the Olympics from India," Bose said. "I'm not counting cricket, which is coming into the Olympics through a different route. But certainly when it comes to sports that have 100-plus nations playing it, like soccer and rugby, we've trained our eyes on that." Spaniard Manuel Moreno, who was named in the World Sevens series dream team last season and has been playing for the Hyderabad Heroes in the RPL, thinks India might not have to wait as long as 2036 given the Olympics has regional qualifiers. "It's a long way to try to compete with the best teams in the world ... the World Rugby Series, maybe is too far from now but maybe (India can qualify) for the Games as qualification is from the continent," Moreno said. "They (India) can do it in the next Olympic cycle. There are only two or three big teams in Asia. So I think they have a real possibility to be in the Los Angeles Games in 2028." Moreno might be being a little optimistic given India's men finished seventh in Asian qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics, while the women were sixth. Still, playing with the likes of Curry and Moreno can only help accelerate the development of local players and it might not be too long before Indian rugby is known for more than just the source of the trophy that England and Scotland play for every year. - Reuters
The Star
a day ago
- Sport
- The Star
Rugby-Rugby Premier League looks to revive Indian game through sevens league
Bengaluru (Reuters) -Nearly 150 years after the demise of Calcutta Football Club resulted in the creation of rugby's oldest international trophy, a new sevens league was launched this month with the aim of reviving the gladiatorial sport in India. The Rugby Premier League (RPL) has recruited top internationals from the World Sevens circuit to play alongside locals in six franchises under broadcast-friendly rule variations. Organisers not only want to lead a revival of local rugby to the extent that India one day qualifies for the Olympics, but believe they can help revolutionise the future of the game worldwide. "Rugby in India is not so popular and not because it's not played, it's played in more than 250 districts in India and there's a lot of talent pool available, but because people have not seen it," Satyam Trivedi, chief executive of co-organisers GMR Sports, told Reuters. "It has not been commercialized, originally or globally. It is a very aspirational sport. In countries like the UK, Australia, New Zealand, it's a private schoolboy sport, which is not how it is seen in India. "I'm sure with the league getting commercials, going on broadcast, some of the finest athletes of the world coming and participating, the audiences will see it and the sport will catch up." The launch of the RPL comes at a time when sevens, which took off after its inclusion for the 2016 Olympics in Brazil, is facing challenges. Financial pressures have led to cutbacks in some programmes, with Ireland ending its men's programme and Britain's men's and women's going part-time at the end of July. World Rugby plans to introduce a three-division regular season in 2026, increasing the number of events to make the sport more cost-effective and competitive. UNCERTAINTY Unlike World Sevens tournaments, organised on national lines, each RPL squad features five top-level "marquee" players, five from India, and three more internationals dubbed "bridge" players. Scott Curry, who played 321 times for New Zealand's All Blacks Sevens team and represents the Bengaluru Bravehearts in the RPL, believes the franchise model could be a peek into the sport's global future. "The World Series has been changing a lot and there's a little bit of uncertainty there but to see something like this, a franchise league ... I think it could be the future of the game going forward for sure," Curry said. "Having franchises where players from all over the world can come and play together along with local Indian players is really exciting for our sport." Rugby India is another co-organiser of the RPL and its President Rahul Bose senses a major opportunity to get the eyes of 1.4 billion people on the game through the country's potential bid for the 2036 Summer Olympics. "After Indian hockey, we want to be the second team, and by that time (2036), it'll be 80 years that there's no other team that's gone to the Olympics from India," Bose said. "I'm not counting cricket, which is coming into the Olympics through a different route. But certainly when it comes to sports that have 100-plus nations playing it, like soccer and rugby, we've trained our eyes on that." Spaniard Manuel Moreno, who was named in the World Sevens series dream team last season and has been playing for the Hyderabad Heroes in the RPL, thinks India might not have to wait as long as 2036 given the Olympics has regional qualifiers. "It's a long way to try to compete with the best teams in the world ... the World Rugby Series, maybe is too far from now but maybe (India can qualify) for the Games as qualification is from the continent," Moreno said. "They (India) can do it in the next Olympic cycle. There are only two or three big teams in Asia. So I think they have a real possibility to be in the Los Angeles Games in 2028." Moreno might be being a little optimistic given India's men finished seventh in Asian qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics, while the women were sixth. Still, playing with the likes of Curry and Moreno can only help accelerate the development of local players and it might not be too long before Indian rugby is known for more than just the source of the trophy that England and Scotland play for every year. (Reporting by Suramya Kaushik in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
Hindustan Times
18-06-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Sevens needed a lifeline and India may have delivered it: Scott Curry backs Rugby Premier League to shape global future
What the world thought, India did first. For someone who has spent over 15 years at the elite level of rugby sevens, Scott Curry knows exactly what a sport needs to grow. With the changing dynamics of rugby at the international level and concerns surrounding the World Series, the sport was in dire need of a breather — and India could not have timed it better with the newly launched Rugby Premier League (RPL), which Curry sees as more than just an experiment. 'I think it's great for the game,' he said. 'Sevens is exciting. To see India putting real resources behind it — this could be the future.' Having travelled to India for the first time, the Tokyo Olympic silver medallist admitted he wasn't quite aware of the rugby culture in the cricket-frenzied nation, but he was already impressed with the level of the local players. Curry, who will be donning the Bengaluru Bravehearts jersey and co-captaining the team, feels that if the RPL can trigger a revolution, India — with its enormous population — could touch new heights. Having played in World Cups, Commonwealth Games, and Olympics, Curry knows what it takes to build a legacy. In his eyes, India's rugby journey might just be beginning. Speaking to Hindustan Times, Curry opened up on the ongoing RPL and its global effect. The former New Zealand captain also spoke about his career, his best moments, and his intention to focus on coaching in the future. Here are the excerpts... Yes, it's my first time. It's been quite warm, but it's been really good so far. People are really nice and helpful, and the food's amazing. So it's been great. I was obviously very excited. I think it's great for the game. Sevens is an exciting sport. To see India putting some real resources behind the game and growing it is exciting, and I think it could be the future of the game for sure. I think it's going to be a cool experience. Getting to play alongside players from other countries—ones in the World Series and ones who aren't—is really cool. It definitely opens us up to new possibilities and new cultures, and we get to learn a lot. Not a massive amount, to be honest. I know they play rugby a fair bit. I know they're big fans of cricket, as am I, being a proud New Zealander. But yes, I don't know a lot about the rugby culture in India. The players in our team are really good. They've got great skills. So I'm looking forward to seeing how they go across the Rugby Premier League. They're going to come up against some good players—World Series level players, some of the best in the world. So that'll be a great test for them to see where they're at. I think it could be huge for India. If it gets a bit of traction and gets people playing the game... For people that already know rugby sevens, they know it's an exciting sport—awesome to watch and be a part of. So with the potential of a country the size of India and the population, I think if they can get a little bit of traction, it would be a very exciting opportunity. Yeah, the game's changed massively over the last 10 to 15 years. It's way more professional. Defense has probably changed the most. Teams' ability to defend has gotten a lot better. So it makes it a lot harder to score tries, but still exciting to watch. I think it has a massive impact. The way the World Series has been run lately probably hasn't been the best. So for something like this to come at this time is good timing for our sport. And you can see from the players and coaches involved that everyone's very excited and wants to make it a success. I'm very excited not just for the first one this year, but future versions as well. It's been nice. I've dipped my toes in the coaching space a little bit, which has been good fun. Trying to pass on my knowledge that I've gained over my 15-year career. And just spending a bit more time at home with family, which has been really nice. Yes. I really enjoy the coaching side of things. Prior to playing rugby, I did a teaching diploma, so it's very similar to teaching. That's something I've always enjoyed, and linking that with my rugby experience has been really enjoyable for me. (Laughs) No, that hasn't happened yet. It's still a possibility, though. It's good to have that qualification in my back pocket. I'm not too sure what the future holds yet, but I'm definitely looking to explore coaching initially, and then we'll see where that goes. I was always playing rugby throughout my time at university. I played a little bit of social stuff, but then I started playing a bit more seriously towards the end of university. I had a crack at sevens and played reasonably well. I got picked up by a provincial team, then played that, made the New Zealand team, and just went from there. That's sort of how it happened. Rugby is obviously really big for us in New Zealand. We're proud to be a rugby nation—it's definitely part of who we are as New Zealanders. Whenever we go anywhere in the world, everyone sort of knows the All Blacks and the black jersey. So we're proud to represent New Zealand on the world stage. That's tough. Anytime we've won a tournament, it's very special. Winning at home in front of your home fans is always really special. And then pinnacle events like the Commonwealth Games and World Cups... 2018 was a very special year for our team—going back-to-back with the World Cup and the Commonwealth Games. And then the Olympic Games too—being involved in the Olympics is pretty special. We got a medal at one—obviously not quite the medal we were after. So yeah, it was a bit of a high and a low at the same time, that Tokyo Games. But as more time passes, you start to realise it, get a bit more perspective, and feel proud of what we did. Lots of fond memories from my career with the New Zealand team. We've got a good mix of international players and some local Indian guys who are really good as well. I guess all the teams are going to be pretty similar, with the balance. It's obviously an honor along with Pol Pla Vegue. He's one of the best players in the world at the moment for Spain. And obviously he took them to help them get a sitting place in the World Series last year. So it's been good working alongside him and obviously just want to. make sure everyone's really excited and keen to get out there and play some exciting scenes.
India Gazette
14-06-2025
- Sport
- India Gazette
Scott Curry, Pol Pla Vegue named co-captains for Bengaluru Bravehearts in upcoming Rugby Premier League
Mumbai (Maharashtra)[India], June 14 (ANI): Kiwi Legend, Scott Curry and Spanish Captain, Pol Pla Vegue have been named co-captains for the Bengaluru Bravehearts in the upcoming Rugby Premier League starting on June 15 at the Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai. The Rugby Premier League is the world's first franchise-based international league where stalwarts of international rugby will play alongside the best talent homegrown in India, said an official statement by Bengaluru Bravehearts. 'We are extremely excited for the upcoming Rugby Premier League and to captain the Bengaluru Bravehearts in the inaugural season is a responsibility that we are really looking forward to. Our squad consists of some of the biggest names from both international rugby and from a pool of fantastic Indian players and we cannot wait to get our campaign started.' Said both Scott Curry and Pol Pla Vegue on being appointed co-captains of the Bengaluru Bravehearts, as per the release. Scott Curry and Pol Pla Vegue will each bring their own experience to the franchise, each having captained the best sides in the world with the hope of leading Bengaluru Bravehearts into a successful inaugural season at the Rugby Premier League. Scott Curry has established himself as one of the best open field runners in the rugby sevens game has also captained the iconic New Zealand side, widely also known as the All Blacks Seven. He led the team to an Olympic Silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the first ever medal for the New Zealand in rugby 7s at the Olympics. Pol Pla Vegue, captain of Spain's Rugby 7s team and the Spanish player with the most number of tries in the world rugby seven series in history, has led Spain to a number of accolades. 'Ranjan, Bhupinder and Me are amazed at the camaraderie that has been created between international legends from New Zealand, Fiji, Spain, Uganda, Hong Kong, Canada, and legends from the Indian Rugby, led by the most celebrated and accomplished coach Paco Hernandez supported by the best Indian coach. Different languages, different accents, different cultures but bound by a smile, bound by their love for rugby and their desire for the Bravehearts to lift the first edition cup for Bengaluru with their enthusiastic cheer NAMDU (which means ITS OURS in Kannada). Thanks to GMR and Indian Rugby Football Union for coming together and giving huge hope to lakhs of youth playing this sport in the future in India,' said co-owner Sanjith Shetty, Bengaluru Bravehearts, as per the release Co-owned by the Ranjan Pai led, Manipal Group, Bhupinder Singh led, InCred and Sanjith Shetty led, Soham, the Bengaluru Bravehearts boasts of names like Tone Ng Shiu, Mohit Khatri, Iowane Teba, Liam Poulton, Arpan Chettri amongst others in their final squad. The complete squad is Scott Curry, Pol Pla Vegue, Tone Ng Shiu, Suresh Kumar, Iowane Teba, Mak Chung, Akila Rokolisoa, Liam Poulton, Mohit Khatri, Arpan Chettri, Karan Rajbhar, and Prashant Singh. The team is coached by the legendary, Francisco 'Paco' Hernandez. The Bengaluru Bravehearts begin their campaign against Delhi Redz in the first match of the league on June 15. Complete fixtures: (Bengaluru Bravehearts) June 15: vs Delhi Redz June 16: vs Kalinga Black Tigers June 17: vs Hyderabad Heroes June 19: vs Mumbai Dreamers June 20: vs Chennai Bulls June 21: vs Chennai Bulls June 22: vs Hyderabad Heroes June 23: vs Delhi Redz June 25: vs Kalinga Black Tigers June 27: vs Mumbai Dreamers. (ANI)
