Hyderabad, June 15 (IANS) The Rugby Premier League (RPL) on Monday unveiled the official ball ahead of the start of season 2 in Hyderabad. The unveiling brought together captains from all 10 teams a day before the league kicks off at the Gachibowli Stadium, along with Rugby India president and league commissioner Rahul Bose and CMO Sujoy Ganguly.
Representing the men's teams at the ceremony were Delhi Redz captain Patrick Odongo, Hyderabad Heroes captain Manuel Moreno, Kolkata Banga Tigers captain Ricardo Duarttee, Chennai Bulls captain Santiago Alvarez, Mumbai Dreamers captain Impi Visser, and Bengaluru Bravehearts captain Ngarohi McGarvey-Black.
Representing the women's teams were Delhi Redz captain Eden Kilgour, Kolkata Banga Tigers captain Shiniqwa Lamprecht, Chennai Bulls captain Chantelle Miell, and Mumbai Dreamers captain Abigail Brown.
The Rugby Premier League, the world's first franchise-based rugby sevens league, returns on June 16 after a successful debut season in 2025. Founded in 2024 to accelerate the growth and popularity of rugby sevens, the league initially featured six city-based teams. It expanded in 2026 with the introduction of a women's competition comprising four teams.
Ahead of the unveiling, Rahul Bose conducted a rugby primer along with six boys and six girls from Telangana Rugby, highlighting five key aspects of the game:
* Run forward, pass backwards: Players advance towards the opposition's try line but can only pass the ball sideways or backwards to teammates.
* Tackle to win possession: Defenders stop the attacking team by tackling the player carrying the ball.
* Release the ball after a tackle: Once tackled, a player must immediately place or release the ball behind them, allowing teammates to continue play.
* Kick as a tactical weapon: Players can kick the ball forward to gain territory or create attacking opportunities, with teammates chasing to regain possession.
* Score a try: The objective of the game is to carry the ball over the opposition's try line and ground it to score a try.
--IANS
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