Rugby Premier League looks to revive Indian game through sevens league

Bengaluru - Nearly 150 years after the demise of Calcutta Football Club resulted in the creation of rugbys oldest international trophy, a new sevens league was launched this month with the aim of reviving the gladiatorial sport in India.

The Rugby Premier League (RPL) has recruited top internationals from the World Sevens circuit to play alongside locals in six franchises under broadcast-friendly rule variations.

Organisers not only want to lead a revival of local rugby to the extent that India one day qualifies for the Olympics, but believe they can help revolutionise the future of the game worldwide.

Rugby in India is not so popular and not because its not played, its played in more than 250 districts in India and theres a lot of talent pool available, but because people have not seen it, Satyam Trivedi, chief executive of co-organisers GMR Sports, told Reuters.

It has not been commercialized, originally or globally. It is a very aspirational sport. In countries like the UK, Australia, New Zealand, its a private schoolboy sport, which is not how it is seen in India.

Im sure with the league getting commercials, going on broadcast, some of the finest athletes of the world coming and participating, the audiences will see it and the sport will catch up.

The launch of the RPL comes at a time when sevens, which took off after its inclusion for the 2016 Olympics in Brazil, is facing challenges.

Financial pressures have led to cutbacks in some programmes, with Ireland ending its mens programme and Britains mens and womens going part-time at the end of July.

World Rugby plans to introduce a three-division regular season in 2026, increasing the number of events to make the sport more cost-effective and competitive.

UNCERTAINTY

Unlike World Sevens tournaments, organised on national lines, each