Rugby Premier League, also known as RPL, is a professional rugby sevens league based in India. It is organized by Rugby India, the governing body for the sport in the nation. It is the first franchise-based rugby league in the world. It was founded in 2024 to boost the growth and popularity of rugby sevens. It debuted in 2025 with 6 city-based teams.
The 2025 Rugby Premier League is the first season of the Rugby Premier League. It will be held from 15 June to 29 June 2025 with 6 city-based teams.
India is all set to witness a sporting revolution with the launch of the Rugby Premier League (RPL) 2025, the world’s first-ever franchise-based rugby sevens league. Organized by Rugby India, this groundbreaking league aims to bring professional rugby sevens to the forefront of Indian sports. With six city-based teams, top-tier athletes, and an electrifying tournament format, RPL 2025 promises to captivate fans with speed, strategy, and raw athleticism. This inaugural season not only marks a major milestone for Indian rugby but also positions India as a rising power in the global rugby sevens arena.
In this comprehensive guide, we cover everything you need to know about RPL 2025 — from its background and structure to team squads, match schedule, and how the league is set to transform the Indian rugby landscape. Whether you’re a die-hard rugby fan or a curious newcomer, this post will walk you through the league’s format, teams, broadcast details, and what makes the RPL a game-changer for the sport in India.
Rugby Premier League (RPL) 2025 Format & Match Structure
The Rugby Premier League (RPL) 2025 features an action-packed schedule of 34 matches over 15 days, showcasing India’s first franchise-based rugby sevens competition. The tournament adopts a round-robin format with six city-based teams competing against one another in 30 pool matches, followed by two semi-finals, a bronze medal match, and the grand finale.
Each weekday will host 2 matches every evening, while weekends will feature 3 matches per night, keeping fans engaged throughout the season. Matches are short and intense, with 4 quarters of 4 minutes each, separated by 2-minute breaks, making each match approximately 22 minutes long. Each team will play a maximum of 10 pool games plus 2 playoff matches within the tournament window.
RPL 2025 Participating Teams & Coaches
Here’s a quick glance at the RPL 2025 teams, their home cities, head coaches, and marquee captains:
| Team Name | City | Head Coach | Captain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bengaluru Bravehearts | Bengaluru | Francisco Hernández (Spain ) | TBD |
| Chennai Bulls | Chennai | Ben Gollings (England) | TBD |
| Delhi Redz | Delhi | Tomasi Cama (New Zealand) | TBD |
| Hyderabad Heroes | Hyderabad | DJ Forbes (New Zealand) | TBD |
| Kalinga Black Tigers | Bhubaneswar | Mike Friday (England) | TBD |
| Mumbai Dreamers | Mumbai | Tim Walsh (Australia) | TBD |
RPL 2025 Full Match Schedule & Fixtures
The tournament kicks off on June 15, 2025, and runs until the final on June 29, 2025. Matches will be held in the evenings (IST), with the league stage followed by the knockout phase.
| Date | Day | Match Details | Venue | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 15, 2025 | Day 01 | Bengaluru Bravehearts VS Delhi Redz | Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai | Buy Tickets |
| June 15, 2025 | Day 01 | Chennai Bulls VS Mumbai Dreamers | Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai | Buy Tickets |
| June 15, 2025 | Day 01 | Hyderabad Heroes VS Kalinga Black Tigers | Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai | Buy Tickets |
| June 16, 2025 | Day 02 | Kalinga Black Tigers VS Bengaluru Bravehearts | Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai | Buy Tickets |
| June 16, 2025 | Day 02 | Mumbai Dreamers VS Chennai Bulls | Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai | Buy Tickets |
| June 17, 2025 | Day 03 | Delhi Redz VS Chennai Bulls | Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai | Buy Tickets |
| June 17, 2025 | Day 03 | Hyderabad Heroes VS Bengaluru Bravehearts | Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai | Buy Tickets |
| June 18, 2025 | Day 04 | Chennai Bulls VS Kalinga Black Tigers | Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai | Buy Tickets |
| June 18, 2025 | Day 04 | Mumbai Dreamers VS Delhi Redz | Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai | Buy Tickets |
| June 19, 2025 | Day 05 | Bengaluru Bravehearts VS Mumbai Dreamers | Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai | Buy Tickets |
| June 19, 2025 | Day 05 | Kalinga Black Tigers VS Hyderabad Heroes | Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai | Buy Tickets |
| June 20, 2025 | Day 06 | Bengaluru Bravehearts VS Chennai Bulls | Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai | Buy Tickets |
| June 20, 2025 | Day 06 | Kalinga Black Tigers VS Delhi Redz | Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai | Buy Tickets |
| June 20, 2025 | Day 06 | Mumbai Dreamers VS Hyderabad Heroes | Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai | Buy Tickets |
| June 21, 2025 | Day 07 | Chennai Bulls VS Bengaluru Bravehearts | Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai | Buy Tickets |
| June 21, 2025 | Day 07 | Hyderabad Heroes VS Mumbai Dreamers | Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai | Buy Tickets |
| June 21, 2025 | Day 07 | Delhi Redz VS Kalinga Black Tigers | Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai | Buy Tickets |
| June 22, 2025 | Day 08 | Bengaluru Bravehearts VS Hyderabad Heroes | Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai | Buy Tickets |
| June 22, 2025 | Day 08 | Chennai Bulls VS Delhi Redz | Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai | Buy Tickets |
| June 22, 2025 | Day 08 | Kalinga Black Tigers VS Mumbai Dreamers | Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai | Buy Tickets |
| June 23, 2025 | Day 09 | Delhi Redz VS Bengaluru Bravehearts | Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai | Buy Tickets |
| June 23, 2025 | Day 09 | Hyderabad Heroes VS Chennai Bulls | Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai | Buy Tickets |
| June 24, 2025 | Day 10 | Mumbai Dreamers VS Kalinga Black Tigers | Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai | Buy Tickets |
| June 24, 2025 | Day 10 | Chennai Bulls VS Hyderabad Heroes | Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai | Buy Tickets |
| June 25, 2025 | Day 11 | Bengaluru Bravehearts VS Kalinga Black Tigers | Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai | Buy Tickets |
| June 25, 2025 | Day 11 | Delhi Redz VS Mumbai Dreamers | Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai | Buy Tickets |
| June 26, 2025 | Day 12 | Kalinga Black Tigers VS Chennai Bulls | Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai | Buy Tickets |
| June 26, 2025 | Day 12 | Hyderabad Heroes VS Delhi Redz | Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai | Buy Tickets |
| June 27, 2025 | Day 13 | Delhi Redz VS Hyderabad Heroes | Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai | Buy Tickets |
| June 27, 2025 | Day 13 | Mumbai Dreamers VS Bengaluru Bravehearts | Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai | Buy Tickets |
| June 28, 2025 | Day 14 | Semi-Finals: Rank 2 vs Rank 3 | Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai | Buy Tickets |
| June 28, 2025 | Day 14 | Semi-Finals: Rank 1 vs Rank 4 | Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai | Buy Tickets |
| June 29, 2025 | Day 15 | Bronze Medal Match | Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai | Buy Tickets |
| June 29, 2025 | Day 15 | Final: Winner SF1 vs Winner SF2 | Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai | Buy Tickets |
Venue: Mumbai Football Arena
All matches of RPL 2025 will take place at the iconic Mumbai Football Arena, located in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Known for its vibrant atmosphere and passionate fan base, the stadium has a capacity of 7,000 and is set to become the heart of Indian rugby during the tournament.
Venue Details:
- City: Mumbai
- Stadium: Mumbai Football Arena
- Capacity: 7,000
Rugby Premier League 2025 Squads
Squads for the all sevens teams are announced
Bengaluru Bravehearts 2025 Squad
| Squads Name | Position |
|---|---|
| Francisco Hernández | Head Coach |
| Tone Ng Shiu | Forward |
| Scott Curry | Forward |
| Suresh Kumar | Forward |
| Iowane Teba | Playmaker |
| Mak Chung | Playmaker |
| Akuila Rokolisoa | Playmaker |
| Henry Kirwan | Hybrid |
| Liam Poulton | Hybrid |
| Mohit Khatri | Utility Player |
| Karan Rajbhar | Utility Player |
| Arpan Chhetri | Utility Player |
| Prashant Singh | Utility Player |
| Pol Pla | Finisher |
Chennai Bulls 2025 Squad
| Squads Name | Position |
|---|---|
| Ben Gollings | Head Coach |
| Hannes Adler | Forward |
| Nikias Lohe | Forward |
| Muhammed Ep | Forward |
| Vinay A | Forward |
| Joaquín Pellandini | Playmaker |
| Filipe Sauturaga | Playmaker |
| Haakon Oeb | Playmaker |
| Joseva Talacolo | Inside Center |
| Terry Kennedy | Hybrid |
| Alexander Davis | Hybrid |
| Vallabh Patil | Back |
| Shanawaz Ahmed | Back |
| Vinayak Hariraj | Back |
Delhi Redz 2025 Squad
| Squads Name | Position |
|---|---|
| Tomasi Cama | Head Coach |
| Matteo Graziano | Forward |
| Thomas Richards | Forward |
| Michael Coverdale | Forward |
| Raj Kumar | Forward |
| Moritz Noll | Playmaker |
| Matías Osadczuk | Center Wing |
| Alejandro Laforga | Inside Center |
| Deepak Punia | Back |
| Mohitansh | Back |
| Sunil Chawan | Back |
| Rajdeep Saha | Utility Player |
| Patrick Okongo | Finisher |
| Jordan Conroy | Finisher |
Hyderabad Heroes 2025 Squad
| Squads Name | Position |
|---|---|
| DJ Forbes | Head Coach |
| Luciano González | Forward |
| Manuel Asensi | Forward |
| Sambit Pradhan | Forward |
| Terio Veilawa | Playmaker |
| Max Roddick | Playmaker |
| Regan Ware | Hybrid |
| James Christie | Hybrid |
| Prince Khatri | Back |
| Javed Hussein | Back |
| Sukumar Hembrom | Back |
| Sumit Roy | Utility Player |
| Joji Nasova | Finisher |
| Fong Fung | Finisher |
Kalinga Black Tigers 2025 Squad
| Squads Name | Position |
|---|---|
| Mike Friday | Head Coach |
| Kyle Tremblay | Forward |
| Harry McNulty | Forward |
| Pappu Todkar | Forward |
| Ethan Turner | Playmaker |
| Rosko Specman | Playmaker |
| James Thiel | Hybrid |
| Maurice Longbottom | Back |
| Asis Sabar | Back |
| Arjun Mahato | Back |
| Ajay Deswal | Utility Player |
| Pardeep Singh | Utility Player |
| Lucas Lacamp | Finisher |
| Perry Baker | Finisher |
Mumbai Dreamers 2025 Squad
| Squads Name | Position |
|---|---|
| Tim Walsh | Head Coach |
| Aaron Cummings | Forward |
| Elias Hancock | Forward |
| Rhys James | Forward |
| Neeraj | Forward |
| Devendra Padir | Forward |
| Nayan K | Forward |
| Waisea Nacuqu | Playmaker |
| Santiago Mare | Hybrid |
| Briar Barron | Hybrid |
| Henry Hutchison | Back |
| James Turner | Back |
| Ganesh Majhi | Back |
| Akash Balmiki | Utility Player |
RPL 2025 Broadcasting & Streaming
All RPL 2025 matches will be broadcast live on Star Sports and streamed online via JioCinema and RugbyPass TV, bringing the action to rugby fans across India and around the globe.
Broadcast Partners:
- TV: Star Sports
- Streaming: JioCinema, RugbyPass TV
