New Zealand's Tone Ng Shiu runs with the ball against Canada at the Hong Kong Sevens. Photo: photosport
New Zealand players and coaches will be involved in the world's first franchise-based rugby sevens league, the Indian-based Rugby Premier League beginning
Organisers Rugby India and GMR Sports announced details of the two-week league in Mumbia in June - a dedicated window on the global rugby sevens calendar in which some of the world's leading players will line up alongside Indian talent.
DJ Forbes (L) and Tomasi Cama. Photo: photosport
The six teams are Bengaluru Bravehearts, Chennai Bulls, Delhi Redz, Hyderabad Heroes, Kalinga Black Tigers, and the Mumbai Dreamers, with 34 matches to be played over 15 days.
"World Rugby ... gave us a 15-day window in which no international rugby sevens would be played anywhere in the world," said president of Rugby India Rahul Bose.
"This made the best global rugby players available to us."
The tournament will welcome 30 marquee international players from the leading rugby sevens nations, including New Zealand, Argentina, South Africa, Kenya, Britain, Australia, Spain, Fiji, USA, and Ireland.
Current All Blacks Sevens coach Tomasi Cama has been named as one of the six coaches, while another will be former long-serving captain DJ Forbes.
Tone Ng Shiu of New Zealand gets his pass away to Akuila Rokolisoa against Argentina at the Cape Town Sevens. Photo: photosport
Among the New Zealand players are former skipper Scott Curry, Regan Ware, Tone Ng Shiu and Akuila Rokolisoa.
There will also be 18 international players from Canada, Hong Kong and Germany in the league, which will include 30 Indian players selected from an auction pool of 71.
RPL will be staged from June 1-15 at the Mumbai Football Arena.
- Reuters/RNZ
