Chennai Bulls Storm into Women’s Final as Mumbai Dreamers Stay Unbeaten in HSBC Rugby Premier League Season 2
The sixth day of the HSBC Rugby Premier League (RPL) powered by Avid Season 2 delivered another action-packed evening at the Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad, with crucial victories shaping both the men’s and women’s competitions.
The standout storyline of the day came from the women’s tournament, where Chennai Bulls secured a place in the final after defeating Mumbai Dreamers 24-19 in a thrilling encounter. In the men’s competition, Mumbai Dreamers preserved their unbeaten record, Bengaluru Bravehearts produced an impressive win over Chennai Bulls, and Kolkata Banga Tigers finally registered their first victory of the season in emphatic fashion.
With direct qualification to the final on the line, Chennai Bulls rose to the occasion against Mumbai Dreamers in one of the most entertaining matches of the day. The Bulls made an explosive start as Carmen Izyk crossed over early before Savannah Bauder added another try to put Chennai firmly in control. Mumbai responded through Maria Tshiremba, reducing the deficit and keeping the contest alive.
However, Bauder once again showcased her finishing ability by scoring her second try early in the second quarter, restoring Chennai’s advantage and putting pressure back on the Dreamers.
Mumbai refused to surrender, with Bhumika Shukla and Abigail Brown producing important scores to level the match after the break. Just when momentum appeared to be shifting, Bauder completed a memorable hat-trick, giving Chennai the decisive edge.
Strong defensive work in the closing stages ensured the Bulls held on for a 24-19 victory, confirming their place in the Women’s Final and underlining their status as one of the competition’s strongest teams.
Earlier in the women’s competition, Delhi Redz defeated Kolkata Banga Tigers 24-12 with a disciplined all-round performance. Delhi dominated possession in the opening stages and opened the scoring through Silika Qalo. Kolkata’s Sofia Gonzalez responded to level proceedings late in the second quarter, but Lavena Cavuru restored Delhi’s lead almost immediately.
Gonzalez added another try after halftime to keep Kolkata within touching distance, but Shika Yadav proved decisive with two brilliantly executed tries. Delhi’s superior ball movement and efficient execution ultimately secured an important victory and strengthened their campaign.
In the men’s section, league leaders Mumbai Dreamers demonstrated remarkable resilience to defeat Hyderabad Heroes 12-10 and maintain their unbeaten record. The contest lived up to expectations as a clash between two of the tournament’s strongest sides. Hyderabad struck first through Diego Ardao, who broke the deadlock late in the opening quarter.
Mumbai answered through Guillaume Bouche, ensuring the scores remained level entering the second half. The match then developed into a defensive battle, with both teams limiting scoring opportunities.
Ardao’s second try appeared set to hand Hyderabad victory, but Mumbai produced one final twist. In stoppage time, Lucas Mignot crossed over to complete a dramatic comeback and secure another crucial win for the Dreamers.
The result keeps Mumbai’s unbeaten streak intact and reinforces its credentials as a title contender.
The men’s clash between Bengaluru Bravehearts and Chennai Bulls saw Bengaluru emerge convincing 33-12 winners after a dominant second-half display. Jonas Mikalcius opened the scoring for Bengaluru before Chennai responded through Santiago Alvarez and later took the lead thanks to Marcus Kershaw.
The momentum shifted dramatically after halftime. Ryan Apps levelled proceedings with his pace before Ganesh Majhi put Bengaluru back in front. Apps then scored his second try of the evening, while Devendra Padir added another late score to seal an impressive victory built on strong possession and clinical finishing.
After enduring a difficult start to the season, Kolkata Banga Tigers produced a statement performance by defeating Delhi Redz 33-7 to register their first win of the campaign. Despite Delhi enjoying more possession early on, Vuiviawa Naduvalo struck first against the run of play to hand Kolkata the initiative. Lucas Lacamp extended the lead before A. Sooriyabandara and Brady Rush added further tries in an excellent third quarter.
Delhi found a consolation through Javed Hussain, who became the first Indian player to surpass 50 points in the tournament this season—a significant individual milestone despite his team’s defeat.
Any hopes of a comeback were extinguished when Thibaud Mazzoleni crossed over late to complete a commanding performance for the Tigers.
As the league stage approaches its decisive phase, the HSBC Rugby Premier League continues to showcase high-quality rugby and dramatic finishes across both competitions.
For Chennai Bulls, qualification for the Women’s Final is a deserved reward for consistent performances and clinical execution under pressure. Meanwhile, Mumbai Dreamers’ unbeaten run in the men’s competition keeps them firmly on course for a strong finish, even as Bengaluru Bravehearts and Kolkata Banga Tigers gather momentum.
With playoff places and championship aspirations on the line, every remaining fixture promises to be fiercely contested. The combination of international stars and emerging Indian talent continues to elevate the standard of the Rugby Premier League, making Season 2 one of the most competitive and entertaining editions yet.
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