Latest news with #RPL
Mint
17 hours ago
- Sport
- Mint
Can India fall in love with rugby? The Rugby Premier League bets big on speed, power and spectacle
Arun Janardhan A new Indian rugby league backed by GMR, foreign Olympians, and grassroots ambition is betting on the game's speed, spectacle, and a short format. Can the RPL succeed in Ind where so many other leagues have failed? Bengaluru Bravehearts' Spanish player Pol Pla is tackled by Delhi Redz's Spanish player Alejandro Laforga. Gift this article 'It's four minutes per quarter. There are tackles, running, muscle, shouting, grunting, people fall, blood is oozing out—kabaddi will not see that. Kabaddi only has some holding." 'It's four minutes per quarter. There are tackles, running, muscle, shouting, grunting, people fall, blood is oozing out—kabaddi will not see that. Kabaddi only has some holding." Srinath Chittoori's description of rugby 7s is not a criticism of kabaddi, but as a reference marker of what he wants audiences to expect. The co-owner of KLO Sports has just bought a team, Hyderabad Heroes, in the GMR Rugby Premier League (RPL), the latest in the assembly line of sports leagues that sprout periodically—and optimistically—in the country. On Sunday, at Mumbai's Andheri Sports Complex, on the opening evening of the league that ends on 29 June, a few hundred people gathered under a cloudy sky to watch the first three matches of the RPL. Some in the audience, first-time viewers of rugby, squealed and shuddered at the sheer physicality of the tackles, the speed of the runs and the muscle that Srinath mentions. Three matches wrapped up in under two hours, despite the intermittent drizzle, which only adds more chutzpah to the players' slides. The results of the matches matter less than what has transpired—and will over the next two weeks—which is India showcasing and playing a sport that many believe we don't. The shorter format of the sport—like T20 cricket—each team in rugby 7s has seven players. A match is 14 minutes long—or 22 minutes, including breaks. Its brevity, the RPL's organisers believe, is its superpower. The RPL has six teams, each with 13 players, including eight foreigners, playing up to 12 matches over 15 days. Of the 48 international players participating, more than 20 are Olympians or world champions. Teams are owned by some of the leading investors in sport, like Dream Sports (Mumbai Dreamers), KLO (which has teams in Ultimate Kho Kho, Legends League Cricket), besides newcomers like real estate developers RMZ (Delhi Redz) and mining company AvidSys (Chennai Bulls). PLAYING BALL From the moment he enters the sporting arena, Rahul Bose gets accosted—for a photograph, for a quick instruction, for a deep discussion. For years, as a player, he has been the face of Indian rugby. Over the last few years, he is also the president of the Indian Rugby Football Union (IRFU) or Rugby India, the governing body of the sport. The actor known for films like English August, Mr and Mrs Iyer, among others, has been explaining rugby's fine virtues to whoever is willing to listen from the time he went to Sri Lanka for the Indian national team's first international 7s match, two-and-a-half decades ago. The RPL, almost everyone who spoke to Lounge says, is the result of his efforts—finding the schedule window from World Rugby, getting some well-known names to play in it, convincing GMR and the others to put in the money. 'The kind of preparation we have done," Bose says, 'has been marked by intellect, by analysis and by heart." Also Read Reliving India's historic 1975 Hockey World Cup win The reason Bose has been at the forefront of pursuing a league is because, as one stakeholder says, 'just because you don't see it (rugby) does not mean it doesn't exist". Bose avers to the over a 100,000 registered players, over 250 districts that play the sport across 25 states as a sign of its popularity. A match between Hyderabad Heroes and Kalinga Black. The RPL's been about two years in the making, Bose says. The teams first got their coaches, organised by IRFU, World Rugby and a little by luck of the draw, before an auction in April assembled the players. 'The roster of coaches and players—categorised as marquee, bridge and Indian players—was done by IRFU and made available to all as a menu," says Vikrant Mudaliar, the chief marketing officer of Dream Sports. Bose adds, 'Elite athletes are snobs and I appreciate that. This is where we pulled the rabbit. When we told players that these are the six coaches, they realised we are not messing around." The franchise fees has been kept low compared to other leagues, adds Satyam Trivedi, chief executive officer for GMR Sports, with player purses capped at ₹ 77-80 lakh. All matches will be in Mumbai, instead of a home-and-away format, to save costs. 'This season we have a centralised system, a plug-and-play model, making this financial model efficient," he says, adding that the league will travel to a different city next season. While most sports leagues in the country, barring the IPL, the Star Sports-backed Pro Kabaddi League and Indian Super League have stuttered or shut down, RPL's organisers believe they may have cracked the code While most sports leagues in the country, barring the IPL, the Star Sports-backed Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) and Indian Super League (ISL), have stuttered, shut down or existed in the margins, RPL's organisers believe they may have cracked the code here, having studied others' failures and successes. 'A league has to be a team sport," explains Bose. 'It's difficult to gain fan loyalty unless it's a team sport. Individual sports don't lend to tribalism." 'Second, it has to be exciting on TV, not 90 minutes for a goalless draw. There is something every 45 seconds to a minute here, a score every minute. That's a dopamine hit. Someone is getting smashed, someone is breaking through, a high tackle… 'Finally, and this is non-negotiable, (the players) have to be the best in the world. If I can flip channel and watch a better version, why would I watch this?" A LEAGUE OF ITS OWN James Turner, a member of The Aussie 7s, would have been in Fiji with his partner and new-born or just playing putty (Australian rules football), had he not got an offer for RPL. When he heard about it, his first reaction was, 'This is different. I didn't realise that Indians liked rugby," he says, leaning his tall frame awkwardly on a round bar table at RPL's launch event. Also Read How Vivek Singh of Procam transformed India's running culture He immediately called up his Australian teammates, Henry Hutchison and Maurice Longbottom, and the three decided they were headed to the subcontinent. For Turner, familiar with the IPL and what it has done for the sport, the RPL presents an opportunity to be in the forefront of something nascent. Bollywood actor and President of Rugby India Rahul Bose. Mumbai also got Jerry Tuwai, a Fijian with two Olympic gold medals and World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year in 2019, 'the most decorated 7s player in the world," according to Mumbai's Australian coach Tim Walsh. 'I want to use his knowledge, share it with other players. Sevens is a game of moments, small moments that make big differences." For some players, the league provides an opportunity to stay in touch with the game when in many parts of the world this period is considered to be the off-season. Others want to ride the wave—if there is one—of a rugby revolution. 'My coach Paco (Francisco Hernandez, coach of Bengaluru) was coming too," says Spaniard Manuel Moreno, who plays for Hyderabad Heroes. 'He said to me, it's an opportunity to improve. It (RPL) was an easy choose." Also Read Harsh Jain of Dream Sports: Living the fantasy All teams practised for just two weeks prior to the start of the league. For the players, the challenge is not just to adjust to a short window of two weeks, but also the city's hot-humid-wet weather, which makes the air heavy, the ball slippery. 'All the marquee players equal each other out—give or take. The winner would be decided by how well the Indian boys play," says Turner, who signed up for Mumbai. THE LONG RUN Bose presents a rosy picture for the future, believing that at the end of this season, the teams would send scouts to scour the country for young talent, returning with 30-35 promising young men for next year. There would be 200 male—soon female—players training for the next season. When the ISL started over a decade ago, the inaugural season had some of the sport's biggest names—retired and semi-retired. Robert Pires, David James, Nicolas Anelka, Alessandro del Piero among others joined in, before the wave fizzled out. RPL's true test would be to sustain the flow, going past the initial momentum of season one. 'If you ask owners for RoI (returns on investment), the league will die," says Sanjith Shetty, one of the owners of the Bengaluru Bravehearts team and the president of Rugby Karnataka. 'Nobody will make crores—we will all lose money. But there is some business sense to it." Most team owners are looking for a 5-10-year run. Some talk of investing in the grassroots, others want to break the hegemony of cricket. There is perhaps a sense of altruism, while for Mihir Menda, a member of RMZ's supervisory board, RPL gives them a foot into the world of sport. 'The responsibility here is to grow the game," says Walsh. 'So that I can sit back and watch the Indian rugby team compete at the Olympics (which India has bid for) in 2036 for a medal." 'I can be smiling then, whether India wins it or Australia does." Arun Janardhan is a Mumbai-based journalist who covers sports, business leaders and lifestyle. Also Read The quiet triumph of D. Gukesh Topics You May Be Interested In
India Gazette
a day ago
- Sport
- India Gazette
Hyderabad Heroes complete hat-trick of wins, Bengaluru Bravehearts pick up second victory in season 1 of RPL
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 20 (ANI): The Bengaluru Bravehearts registered their second victory, and the Hyderabad Heroes maintained their winning streak, as they completed a hat-trick of wins during the Rugby Premier League (RPL) Season 1, in Mumbai, at the Shahaji Raje Bhosale Sports Complex (Andheri Sports Complex), according to a release from RPL. The Bengaluru Bravehearts saw off the Mumbai Dreamers in a low scoring thriller. The Bengaluru Bravehearts won 12-7. Meanwhile, the Hyderabad Heroes won comprehensively, with a scoreline of 43-12. In the first game of the day, the Bengaluru Bravehearts started off brightly Akuila Rokolisoa scoring a try and then converting his kick after that to give his side the lead. However, the Mumbai Dreamers, who were still looking for their first win, equalised when Waisea Nacuqu cancelled out Akuila Rokolisoa's try and conversion. The Dreamers were doing their best to keep their opposition at bay, but just before half-time, the Bravehearts got their noses out in front again with Scott Curry's important and decisive try. From then on in, the Bravehearts managed the contest brilliantly against the spirited Dreamers, coming away with a crucial win. In the second match of the day, the Kalinga Black Tigers, who needed a win, drew first blood against the Hyderabad Heroes. The Tigers had Perry Baker getting the first try of the game, leaving the Heroes a little surprised. From then on in, the Hyderabad Heroes showed why they were in the top half of the table, as they cranked up the intensity and roared back into the game. Tries from Motu Opetai and Javed Hussein were crucial for the Hyderabad side, who were further aided by Terio Tamani's two conversions. Before the half-time break, Deepraj Rajabhosale bagged a crucial try, and Maurice Longbottom's conversion meant the Tigers trailed by 2 points, and had two quarters to go. After that, the Hyderabad Heroes thwarted the Tigers' attack with their own moves, Terio Tamani, Max Roddick and Joji Nasova added a try each, and Tamani added six more points to his conversion tally. With 4 minutes to go, the Heroes led 33-12. In the final quarter, Manuel Moreno and Joji Nasova added a couple of more tries, to put the seal on the game. The Heroes won by a margin 43-12. (ANI)
India Gazette
a day ago
- Sport
- India Gazette
RPL 2025: Bengaluru Bravehearts take on Mumbai Dreamers, Kalinga Black Tigers face unbeaten Hyderabad Heroes challenge on Day 5
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 19 (ANI): On matchday five of the Rugby Premier League (RPL), the first match of the evening will feature the Bengaluru Bravehearts taking on the Mumbai Dreamers. With a win and a draw in three games, the Bravehearts will be eyeing a second win to close the gap with the top two, while the Dreamers are still searching for their first victory of the season. In the second fixture, the Kalinga Black Tigers go up against the Hyderabad Heroes. With the Heroes unbeaten, the pressure will be on the Black Tigers to step up and register points, who did well in their last game by drawing against table leaders Chennai Bulls. Top 5 Players to watch out for today at the Rugby Premier League: Akuila Rokolisoa (Bengaluru Bravehearts) With 25 points in three games, Akuila Rokolisoa is the second-highest points scorer in the league so far and is in an incredible vein of form. He has scored three tries and five conversions so far and is an explosive player in the Bravehearts setup. Since he plays at the back, Akuila also makes good defensive contributions for his side and has made four crucial tackles in the three matches played. Kevin Wekesa (Hyderabad Heroes) The Heroes have won two out of their two games and much credit goes to their attackers. Kevin Wekesa who plays forward, has scored three successful tries and has already won 15 points for his side in just two games. The 24-year-old Kenyan is one to watch out for as they play the Black Tigers in their third game of the season. Philip Wokorach (Bengaluru Bravehearts) The 31-year-old experienced player from Uganda, Philip Wokorach is not just a leading figure on the pitch but also a prolific scorer for the Bravehearts. Playing at the back, he has made four tackles so far, but he has made headlines due to his attacking contributions as well. Philip has scored three tries and won 17 points for his side so far in their three games played. Joji Nasova (Hyderabad Heroes) Similar to his teammate Kevin, Joji Nasova has also managed to make three tries and score 15 points in the two games the Heroes have played so far in the tournament. Joji also has an assist and two tackles to his name and is an all-round player in the ranks of the Heroes. James Turner (Mumbai Dreamers) With no wins so far, Mumbai Dreamers are struggling to register points on the board, however their marquee Australian, James Turner has had a good run of games so far. In three matches, James has scored two tries and hence won ten points for his side. He has also made five tackles for the Dreamers and will be hoping to push himself more and help his side win their first game of the season. Schedule for RPL Matches on Thursday, June 19: Match 1 - Bengaluru Bravehearts vs Mumbai Dreamers - 7:45 PM IST Match 2 - Kalinga Black Tigers vs Hyderabad Heroes - 8:25 PM IST. (ANI)
The Wire
a day ago
- Business
- The Wire
Bisleri Powers GMR Rugby Premier League as the Official Hydration Partner
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India (NewsVoir) Bisleri International, India's leading packaged drinking water brand, is proud to announce its partnership with the inaugural GMR Rugby Premier League (RPL) as the Official Hydration Partner. This collaboration underscores Bisleri's commitment to promoting health and wellness through sports, aligning with the league's mission to establish rugby in India. GMR Rugby Premier League, a groundbreaking franchise-based Rugby 7s competition, kicked off on June 15, 2025, at the Andheri Sports Complex in Mumbai. Featuring six city-based teams—Bengaluru Bravehearts, Chennai Bulls, Delhi Redz, Hyderabad Heroes, Kalinga Black Tigers, and Mumbai Dreamers—the league highlights top-tier talent from India and across the globe. Spanning 34 matches over 15 action-packed days, the RPL promises to captivate audiences nationwide. Backed by an exclusive 15-day window granted by World Rugby, the league has attracted marquee international stars, including Olympic medallists, World Champions, and former World Player of the Year honourees. Expressing his excitement on this association, Tushar Malhotra, Director of Sales & Marketing at Bisleri International Pvt. Ltd., said, 'We're thrilled to partner with GMR Rugby Premier League in its inaugural season—a tournament that distinguishes itself through both its bold vision and international impact. This collaboration is part of Bisleri's broader sports marketing program, which now includes 56 active partnerships across various disciplines. Through this association, we're proud to support some of the world's top rugby athletes with our premium hydration solutions, while engaging global sports fans through compelling content and immersive experiences.' Mr Satyam Trivedi, CEO, GMR Sports, said, 'We are delighted to welcome Bisleri International as our Official Hydration Partner. Hydration is essential for peak athletic performance, and Bisleri's reputation for premium quality aligns perfectly with our commitment to providing world-class facilities and experiences for our players and fans of rugby. We are excited about the innovative content and engagement opportunities this partnership brings." The RPL is broadcast live on JioHotstar, bringing the excitement of Rugby to fans across the country. About Bisleri International Pvt. Ltd. With a legacy of over 50 years, Bisleri International Pvt. Ltd. has grown to become one of the largest premium beverage businesses in India. Being the makers of the country's largest-selling packaged drinking water, Bisleri follows a stringent process of 114 quality tests and a 10-stage purification. It remains true to its core value of providing consumers with pure, safe and healthy water. Bisleri International has a strong presence with 128 operational plants and a robust distribution network of over 6,000 Distributors and 7,500 Distribution Trucks across India and UAE market. It offers a range of beverages that are produced for all occasions. Whether it is the promise of goodness, trust, and purity with Bisleri Mineral Water or a daily dose of health offered through Vedica Himalayan Spring Water. Besides, Bisleri International has ventured into fun-filled refreshments with a diverse range of carbonated drinks available in multiple flavours, such as Limonata, Spyci Jeera Rev and Pop. These Bisleri products are also available on the e-commerce platform - Bisleri@Doorstep. This D2C platform reassures customers that they will receive a safe and uninterrupted supply of their most trusted brand at their doorstep. The core values of Bisleri International lie in yielding growth and embedding sustainability by being responsible in all aspects of the business. The organization has unveiled Sustainability 2.0 with Bisleri Greener Promise that focuses on creating greener future for all through implementing initiatives under the program of recycling, water conservation and sustainability. For more information on Bisleri International, our people, brands, and OSR initiatives, visit (Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with Newsvoir and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). This is an auto-published feed from PTI with no editorial input from The Wire.
India Gazette
2 days ago
- Sport
- India Gazette
Chennai Bulls continue unbeaten run; Delhi Redz register first win of the season at RPL
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 18 (ANI): The Chennai Bulls continued their unbeaten run at Season 1 of the Rugby Premier League (RPL), here on Wednesday at the Shahaji Raje Bhosale Sports Complex (Andheri Sports Complex), as per a release from RPL. Meanwhile, the Delhi Redz also picked up their first win of the competition against the Mumbai Dreamers, who are yet to win a game. The Chennai Buls and the Kalinga Black Tigers played out an absolute thriller which ended 26-26 in the opening game of the day, and after that the Delhi Redz defeated the Mumbai Dreamers by a margin of 20-7. The results will see the Chennai Bulls retain their top spot on the points table. It was the Kalinga Black Tigers, who were out of the blocks the fastest, with Perry Baker getting the first try of the game, and Maurice Longbottom promptly converted too. After that, the Chennai Bulls equalised Joaquin Pellandini's try and kick. That was the lull before the storm, as the Tigers went through the gears before half-time as Kyle Tremblay and James Thiel added a try each, and Longbottom managed to convert another kick. Just before the break, Aryan Dixit scored a try for the Bulls, as both teams took a breather with seven points between them. Early in the second half, the Bulls levelled things up with Filipe Sauturaga scoring a try and converting as well. In the final quarter though, the Kalinga Black Tigers surged ahead as Ajay Deswal bagged a try and Longbottom, once again put in between the poles. Just as the Kalinga Black Tigers looked set for their first win of the season, Vaafauese Maliko scored a try and Joaquin Pellandini converted his kick from the wing, to ensure the Bulls would not lose the game. In the second game of the day, the Delhi Redz had the Mumbai Dreamers in front of them. It was the Dreamers who began strongly as James Turner scored a try and Akash Balmiki converted after that. From then on in, the Dreamers did well to hold onto the lead till half-time. After the break though, the Delhi Redz stormed back into the contest. Alejandro Laforga scored a try first while Jordan Conroy added two more, which was complemented by Deepak Punia's conversion with the final move of the game. Deepak Punia also scored a drop kick, which helped his side register a comprehensive 20-7 win on the night. (ANI)
