India is set to revolutionize its rugby landscape with the launch of the Rugby Premier League (RPL), a franchise-based Rugby Sevens league. Scheduled to take place from June 1-15, 2025, at the Mumbai Football Arena, this league marks a significant step towards boosting the sport's popularity, nurturing local talent, and enhancing India's Olympic aspirations.
Organized by Rugby India and GMR Sports, the RPL is the first league of its kind in the world. Rugby India, the governing body for rugby in India, has partnered with GMR Sports in a 10-year deal to launch the league. The league will feature six city-based teams: Bengaluru Bravehearts, Chennai Bulls, Delhi Redz, Hyderabad Heroes, Kalinga Black Tigers, and Mumbai Dreamers.
The RPL aims to tap into the fast-paced and exciting format of Rugby Sevens to attract a wider audience. Rugby Sevens features seven players per team competing in shorter, action-packed matches. Games are played on a standard rugby pitch, with halves lasting seven minutes each. The fast-paced nature of Rugby Sevens demands quick turnovers and rapid play, with fewer set pieces compared to the 15-player version. Players must possess exceptional fitness, agility, and versatility to excel in this format.
The league has garnered support from World Rugby, which has granted RPL a 15-day window in which no other international rugby sevens tournaments will take place. This allows for the participation of some of the biggest names in the sport. The inaugural edition of the RPL will feature 30 marquee international players from leading rugby nations, including Argentina, South Africa, Kenya, Britain, New Zealand, Australia, Spain, Fiji, USA, and Ireland. Some of the international players include three-time Olympian Perry Baker of the United States, New Zealand's 2021 Olympic silver medalist Scott Curry, and Ireland's former World Rugby 7s Player of the Year Terry Kennedy.
In addition to international talent, the RPL will also showcase Indian rugby players. Thirty Indian players were selected from a pool of 71 at an auction in Mumbai. Mohit Khatri was the most expensive player, acquired by the Bengaluru Bravehearts for Rs 4.5 lakhs.
The league's format will see all six teams compete against each other in a double round-robin format, with 30 pool games played. Each team will play 10 pool matches. The matches will be unique, with four minutes per quarter and two-minute breaks between each quarter, leading to a unique style of play different from the world rugby 7s format. There will be two matches per night on weekdays and three matches per night on weekends, totaling 34 matches over 15 days.
Rugby India has expressed optimism about the league's potential to transform rugby in the country. Rahul Bose, President of Rugby India, believes that an Indian rugby team getting into the Olympics is inevitable and could happen within a decade. He also noted that the budget of the Mumbai-based national rugby federation had grown more than 30-fold, indicating the growing investment in the sport.
The launch of the RPL comes at a time when rugby is gaining popularity in India. Rugby India, founded in 1998, is the sole governing body for the sport in the country. Rugby has a rich history in India, dating back to 1871. Over the last decade, the sport has seen a major rise in following, with competitive Rugby being actively played across 24 States in India. Rugby is also included in the School Games Federation of India (SGFI) for all age groups and the National University Games.
While rugby is still a minor sport compared to cricket and field hockey, it is rapidly growing. As of 2016, India had 57,000 registered rugby players, up from 24,010 in 2012. The introduction of the RPL is expected to further boost the sport's growth and popularity, providing a platform to unearth and nurture local talent while tapping into a new fan base.
