Scott Curry and Pol Pla Vegue named co-captains for the Bengaluru Bravehearts in the upcoming GMR Rugby Premier League

Rakesh Thapliyal

Mumbai: Kiwi Legend, Scott Curry and Spanish Captain, Pol Pla Vegue have been named co-captains for the Bengaluru Bravehearts in the upcoming GMR Rugby Premier League starting on the 15th of June 2025 at the Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai. The GMR Rugby Premier League is the world’s first franchise based international league where stalwarts of international rugby will play alongside the best talent homegrown in India.

“We are extremely excited for the upcoming Rugby Premier League and to captain the Bengaluru Bravehearts in the inaugural season is a responsibility that we are really looking forward to. Our squad consists of some of the biggest names from both international rugby and from a pool of fantastic Indian players and we cannot wait to get our campaign started.” Said both Scott Curry and Pol Pla Vegue on being appointed co-captains of the Bengaluru Bravehearts.

Scott Curry and Pol Pla Vegue will each bring their own experience to the franchise, each having captained the best sides in the world with the hope of leading Bengaluru Bravehearts into a successful inaugural season at the Rugby Premier League. Scott Curry has established himself as one of the best open field runners in the rugby sevens game has also captained the iconic New Zealand side, widely also known as the All Blacks Seven. He led the team to an Olympic Silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the first ever medal for the New Zealand in rugby 7s at the Olympics. Pol Pla Vegue, captain of Spain’s Rugby 7s team and the Spanish player with the most number of tries in the world rugby seven series in history has led Spain to a number of accolades.

“Ranjan, Bhupinder and Me are amazed at the camaraderie that has been created between international legends from New Zealand, Fiji, Spain, Uganda, Hong Kong, Canada, and legends from the Indian Rugby, led by the most celebrated and accomplished coach Paco Hernandez supported by the best Indian coach. Different languages, different accents, different cultures but bound by a smile, bound by their love for rugby and their desire for the Bravehearts to lift the first edition cup for Bengaluru with their enthusiastic cheer NAMDU (which means ITS OURS in Kannada). Thanks to GMR and Indian Rugby Football Union for coming together and giving huge hope to lakhs of youth playing this sport in the future in India,” said co-owner Sanjith Shetty, Bengaluru Bravehearts.

Co-owned by the Dr. Ranjan Pai led, Manipal Group, Mr. Bhupinder Singh led, InCred and Mr. Sanjith Shetty led, Soham, the Bengaluru Bravehearts boasts of names like Tone Ng Shiu, Mohit Khatri, Iowane Teba, Liam Poulton, Arpan Chettri amongst others in their final squad. The complete squad is Scott Curry, Pol Pla Vegue, Tone Ng Shiu, Suresh Kumar, Iowane Teba, Mak Chung, Akila Rokolisoa, Liam Poulton, Mohit Khatri, Arpan Chettri, Karan Rajbhar, and Prashant Singh. The team is coached by the legendary, Francisco ‘Paco’ Hernandez.

The Bengaluru Bravehearts begin their campaign against Delhi Redz in the first match of the league on the 15th of June 2025.

Complete fixtures: (Bengaluru Bravehearts) 

June 15: vs Delhi Redz

June 16: vs Kalinga Black Tigers

June 17: vs Hyderabad Heroes

June 19: vs Mumbai Dreamers

June 20: vs Chennai Bulls

June 21: vs Chennai Bulls

June 22: vs Hyderabad Heroes

June 23: vs Delhi Redz

June 25: vs Kalinga Black Tigers

June 27: vs Mumbai Dreamers.