Big international stars set to shine in GMR Rugby Premier League Season 1

The GMR Rugby Premier League is set for a thrilling debut with international stars like Jerry Tuwai, Akuila Rokolisoa, and Terry Kennedy. Six franchises are banking on their elite experience to light up the league.

Hyderabad: The six franchises are working hard to ensure they make the best pass forward in the GMR Rugby Premier League Season 1 which will commence in less than a week.

Some of the best names in the business have made a touchdown in Mumbai, and will be looking to leave a long-lasting impression on Indian fans.

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Here are the profiles of some of the big names:

Akuila Rokolisoa – Bengaluru Bravehearts:

Hailing from Fiji, 30-year-old Akuila Rokolisoa is part of the very well known and celebrated All Blacks set-up (New Zealand), and is considered to be one of the key cogs in the wheel. The decorated athlete was also the Player of the Year in 2023 in the New Zealand Sevens’ division and was a finalist for the World Rugby Sevens player of the year. Akuila Rokolisoa roll of honour has seen him win a Gold medal at the Rugby Sevens World Cup in San Francisco, 2018. Four years later, he finished as a Silver medallist with the All Blacks in the Rugby Sevens World Cup in Cape Town in 2022. And in the same year, Akuila Rokolisoa returned with a Bronze medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

Terry Kennedy – Chennai Bulls:

The 28-year-old Irish man is considered possesses lightning footwork and speed and is one of the most dangerous playmakers on the World Rugby Sevens Series circuit. Terry, whose father also played rugby for Ireland, was the 2022 World Rugby Men’s Sevens Player of the Year. The playmaker represented Ireland at the Paris Olympics, 2024, and helped his nation clinch a Bronze medal at the Rugby World Cup Sevens in Cape Town, 2022, and a Gold medal at the 2023 European Games

Rosko Specman – Kalinga Black Tigers:

The 36-year-old South African is one of the senior statesmen in the sport of rugby, and is a two-time Olympic medallist. Rosko Specman was part of the South African team to have won Bronze at the Olympics in both Rio and Paris. The winger has also won Bronze at the 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens in San Francisco. And more recently, he stood on the podium to pick up a Silver Medal at the Africa Men’s Sevens in Mauritius, 2024.

Manu Moreno – Hyderabad Heroes:

A forward from Spain, the 26-year-old has had a taste of success in the early stages of his career. A European champion in 2021 and 2022, Manu will be one of the focal points of the Hyderabad Heroes attack in Season 1 of the GMR RPL. The Spanish forward was also selected among the 14 best rugby sevens players at the World Rugby Sevens Series in Toulouse in May 2023.

Matteo Graziano – Delhi Redz:

One of the younger players in Season 1 of GMR RPL, Matteo Graziano is a 23-year-old Argentinian Hooker, who is known for his versatility on the field. Graziano has been part of Argentina’s dynamic attack, and was an important part of the set-up that eventually secured their first SVNS circuit medal in Hamilton.

Jerry Tuwai – Mumbai Dreamers:

One of the absolute stalwarts of the game, Jerry Tuwai is the only rugby sevens player with two Olympic gold medals (2016 Rio and 2021 Tokyo). In fact, Jerry was part of the Fijian side that won a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics and became the most decorated Olympian in Fiji’s history.

In the World Rugby Sevens Series, Jerry has Captained Fiji in the 2017–18 season and led them to the 2022 Singapore Sevens title, pulling the strings in their 28-17 final win over New Zealand.