Fast and Fearless – Season 1 of the GMR Rugby Premier League Commences from June 15

There will be 34 games that will be played during the course of Season 1 of the GMR RPL

Rakesh Thapliyal

Mumbai:*The wait for Season 1 of the GMR Rugby Premier League is finally over, as Matchday 1 is upon us. Fast, physical, fearless – the first ever franchise-based Rugby Sevens league in the world, which is organised by Rugby India and GMR Sports, will host the who’s who from the world of rugby, in Mumbai.

What are the teams and where do the players come from?

Battling it out for top honours are six franchises – Bengaluru Bravehearts, Chennai Bulls, Delhi Redz, Hyderabad Heroes, Kalinga Black Tigers, and the Mumbai Dreamers.

The GMR RPL will feature 30 marquee international players from powerhouse Rugby Sevens nations, including New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Fiji, Argentina, Great Britain, Ireland, USA and Spain. Additionally, 18 international players from Canada, Hong Kong, and Germany will also be part of the tournament, enhancing the league’s competitive depth.

Last but not the least, the GMR RPL will also see 30 Indian players selected from an auction pool of 71, participate alongside the international legends.

What is the squad composition?

Each squad will have 13 players with two Indian players required to be on the field of play at all times during the game. At any given point in time, there will be seven players on the field of play. The seven is then divided into three forwards and four backs.

The forwards are the big, and physical players who will compete in the scrum and lineouts. Meanwhile, the backs are the fast, agile, and athletic players. The backs are the players who usually score most of the points in a game.

13 players – (5 Marquee + 3 Bridge + 5 Indian) + 5 Management (Head Coach, Assistant Coach, Physiotherapist, Massage Therapist and S&C).

The starting Seven players in the GMR RPL will feature two international players, two international Bridge Players + two Indian players + 1 Coaches choice.

What is the format of the matches?

Each game will be played in four quarters which will be off four minutes each, with a break of two minutes in between each phase. The total time duration for one match is not expected to exceed 22 minutes.

Where will the GMR RPL be played?

Season 1 of the GMR Rugby Premier League kicks off on 15 June, with a final scheduled for 29 June, in Mumbai at the Shahaji Raje Bhosale Sports Complex (Andheri Sports Complex).