Rugby Premier League expands its horizons with landmark Season 2 Auction and Women’s League launch
Indian rugby took another significant step forward on Thursday as GMR Sports and Rugby India concluded the Season 2 Player Auction and Draft for the Rugby Premier League (RPL) in Hyderabad, with the biggest headline being the launch of the women’s competition alongside the men’s league.
After a successful inaugural season in 2025, the Rugby Premier League now heads into its second edition with greater scale, stronger international participation, and a clear emphasis on growing the sport’s ecosystem in India. Both the men’s and women’s competitions will be held at the Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad from June 16 to 28, 2026.
The Season 2 Auction and Draft saw six men’s franchises and four women’s franchises assemble balanced squads comprising elite international stars and promising Indian talent. The move to formally include women’s franchises marks a historic milestone for Indian rugby and signals the league’s ambition to build a more inclusive and sustainable future for the sport.
The introduction of the women’s competition was undoubtedly the defining moment of the auction. For the first time, Chennai Bulls, Mumbai Dreamers, Kolkata Banga Tigers, and Delhi Redz built dedicated women’s squads featuring both Indian and international players. The development is expected to create stronger pathways for Indian women rugby players and increase visibility for the women’s game nationally.
Delhi’s Shikha Yadav emerged as the highest-paid Indian women’s player after being picked up by Delhi Redz for Rs 2.4 lakh. Mumbai Dreamers followed closely by signing Bhumika Shukla for Rs 2.2 lakh, while Kolkata Banga Tigers secured Nirmalya Rout for Rs 1.6 lakh and Chennai Bulls brought in Amandeep Kaur for the same amount. The women’s teams also feature impressive international representation from countries such as Fiji, Brazil, South Africa, Canada, Argentina, Kenya, Germany, Great Britain, and Spain.
Speaking after the draft, GMR Sports Chief Marketing Officer Sujoy Ganguly highlighted the importance of the women’s league in Indian rugby’s long-term growth.
“The introduction of the women’s league is a landmark moment for the HSBC Rugby Premier League. Today’s draft reflects a strong commitment from franchises and GMR Sports to invest in and build competitive women’s teams, which is critical to driving long-term growth and creating meaningful pathways for athletes in Indian rugby,” Ganguly said.
Sumit Kumar Roy headlines men’s auction
On the men’s side, franchises continued to invest heavily in Indian players alongside internationally established names.
West Bengal’s Sumit Kumar Roy became the highest-paid Indian player in the men’s auction after being signed by Hyderabad Heroes for Rs 3.75 lakh. Mohit Khatri was picked up by Chennai Bulls for Rs 3.5 lakh, while Deepak Kumar Punia joined Delhi Redz for Rs 2.75 lakh. Kolkata Banga Tigers matched that amount to secure Prashant Arvind Pratap Singh.
The player pool once again reflected the increasingly global nature of the league, with franchises bringing in internationals from rugby powerhouses and emerging nations alike. Players from Fiji, Argentina, New Zealand, Australia, Kenya, Spain, South Africa, France, Canada, Samoa, Uganda, Brazil, Germany, the USA, and Japan were all drafted into teams.
The diversity of talent highlights the growing reputation of the Rugby Premier League as an emerging destination for international rugby sevens players.
Defending franchises focused on maintaining continuity while also strengthening depth. Chennai Bulls retained Fijian stars Joseva Talacolo and Filipe Sauturaga while adding Argentina’s Santiago Alvarez and Great Britain’s Sunni Jardine. Hyderabad Heroes retained Manuel Moreno Asensi and Kevin Wekesa before bolstering their squad with names like Maurice Longbottom and Regan Ware.
Bengaluru Bravehearts continued building around retained internationals Akuila Rokolisoa and Philip Wokorach, while Delhi Redz assembled a physically strong squad featuring players from Kenya, Spain, Canada, and Germany. Mumbai Dreamers and Kolkata Banga Tigers also added considerable firepower with several experienced international sevens specialists entering the competition.
The league’s structure continues to emphasise competitive balance, with squads designed to blend international experience and Indian development talent.
The expansion of the Rugby Premier League comes at an important time for Indian rugby. While rugby remains a developing sport in the country, recent years have seen growing participation at the grassroots level, especially in states such as Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, Haryana, Maharashtra, and Delhi. The RPL has increasingly become an important platform for Indian players to gain exposure alongside world-class internationals.
The auction also reflected the strong representation of players from rugby-development regions such as Odisha, West Bengal, Haryana, Bihar, Punjab, and Maharashtra, indicating the widening talent pool within Indian rugby. The women’s league could have an especially transformative impact. Many Indian women players have previously had limited access to professional structures, competitive exposure, and financial incentives. A franchise-based league now provides greater visibility and opportunities for development.
Hyderabad set to host rugby spectacle
With Hyderabad once again hosting the competition, the focus will now shift from team-building to on-field performances. The Gachibowli Stadium is expected to stage nearly two weeks of fast-paced rugby action featuring some of the world’s top sevens specialists and India’s emerging talent. The addition of the women’s competition is also likely to significantly broaden audience engagement and interest.
More importantly, the Season 2 auction showcased that the Rugby Premier League is no longer merely experimenting with growth it is actively building a professional rugby ecosystem in India.
For a sport still carving its identity in the Indian sporting landscape, that represents meaningful progress.
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