MUMBAI: India's sporting calendar is about to get a bruising new addition, and no, it's not another cricket spinoff. Rugby India and GMR Sports have locked horns to launch the world’s first franchise-based Rugby 7s tournament-the Rugby Premier League (RPL). The action kicks off in Mumbai on 1 June 2025, at the iconic MFA (Mumbai Football Arena), promising a 15-day, 34-match blitz of pure, unfiltered speed, tackles, and muscle.
Picture this: six city-based franchises, 30 international legends, 30 top Indian players, and some of the world’s best coaches, all crammed into two weeks of adrenaline-pumping rugby. It’s not just a league—it’s an all-out blitz on the senses.
Star-studded doesn’t even begin to cover it. Expect to see legends like Perry Baker (USA), Rosko Speckman (South Africa), Terry Kennedy (Ireland), Scott Curry (New Zealand), and Waisea Nacuqu (Fiji) lighting up the turf. Olympians, World Cup medallists, and serial try-scorers are all confirmed to put on a show. Add 18 more players from Canada, Germany, and Hong Kong, and the RPL becomes a melting pot of bone-crunching brilliance.
“This is a league that’s been six years in the making, but we wanted to do everything right... Rugby 7s is one of the most attractive television sports in modern history. Welcome, India and the world, to the Rugby Premier League,” said Rugby India president Rahul Bose radiating the kind of energy only a scrum-half could match.
Franchises representing Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai and Bhubaneswar will feature top coaching minds including Mike Friday, Ben Gollings, Tomasi Cama, and DJ Forbes. Talk about bench strength.
To give Indian talent its due, 30 domestic players were selected from a pool of 71 via auction—a first for Indian rugby. “The RPL will not only captivate a wider audience but also provide Indian players with invaluable opportunities to compete alongside the world’s best,” said GMR Sports CEO Satyam Trivedi.
The RPL has already secured an exclusive window on the global Rugby 7s calendar, ensuring zero scheduling conflicts with other international competitions. It’s now or never, and the global rugby fraternity seems to have circled their calendars in red.
Star Sports and JioHotstar will broadcast the mayhem live, and JioStar CEO – sports Sanjog Gupta promised to bring “every tackle, sprint, and score” to screens across the country.
With the whistle about to blow on India’s first franchise rugby league, there’s only one question left: Are you game?
