HSBC Rugby Premier League Unveils Official Ball Ahead of Season 2 Kick-Off in Hyderabad
Season 2 of the HSBC Rugby Premier League is scheduled to begin on June 16 at the Gachibowli Stadium and is expected to feature international and domestic talent competing across
Captains of all 10 teams pose with the official HSBC Rugby Premier League match ball during its unveiling ahead of the start of Season 2 at the Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad on June 15, 2026.
Hyderabad: The HSBC Rugby Premier League (RPL), powered by AVID, unveiled its official match ball on Monday ahead of the start of Season 2, bringing together captains from all 10 participating teams at the Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad.
The unveiling ceremony was attended by Rugby India president and league commissioner Rahul Bose, GMR Sports chief marketing officer Sujoy Ganguly, team captains from the men’s and women’s competitions, and representatives of the rugby community.
Representing the men’s teams were Patrick Odongo of Delhi Redz, Manuel Moreno of Hyderabad Heroes, Ricardo Duarttee of Kolkata Banga Tigers, Santiago Alvarez of Chennai Bulls, Impi Visser of Mumbai Dreamers and Ngarohi McGarvey-Black of Bengaluru Bravehearts.
The women’s teams were represented by Eden Kilgour of Delhi Redz, Shiniqwa Lamprecht of Kolkata Banga Tigers, Chantelle Miell of Chennai Bulls and Abigail Brown of Mumbai Dreamers.
Ahead of the official unveiling, Rahul Bose conducted a Rugby Primer session with young players from Telangana Rugby to introduce spectators and new fans to the fundamentals of the sport.
The interactive session highlighted five key principles of rugby: advancing play by running forward while passing backward, tackling to gain possession, releasing the ball after a tackle, using kicks as a tactical tool, and scoring tries by grounding the ball beyond the opposition’s try line.
The initiative was aimed at increasing awareness and understanding of rugby among Indian audiences as the sport continues to expand its footprint across the country.
Season 2 of the HSBC Rugby Premier League is scheduled to begin on June 16 at the Gachibowli Stadium and is expected to feature international and domestic talent competing across men’s and women’s categories.
The league is organised by Rugby India, the governing body for rugby union in the country, in partnership with GMR Sports, which recently acquired rights associated with the Rugby Premier League as part of its expanding multi-sport portfolio.
Rugby India, recognised by the ministry of youth affairs and sports and affiliated with World Rugby, Asia Rugby and the Indian Olympic Association, has been working to grow the sport across India through grassroots development, high-performance programmes and professional competitions.
Officials said the unveiling of the official ball marks the final milestone before the start of the new season and reflects the league’s growing stature within India’s sporting landscape.
With increasing participation, international representation and expanding commercial interest, the Rugby Premier League is positioning itself as a key platform for the development of rugby in India.
