Chennai Bulls clinch GMR Rugby Premier League title with 41-0 rout over Delhi Redz
The Chennai Bulls dominated the Delhi Redz 41-0 to win the inaugural GMR Rugby Premier League title. With strong praise from players and coaches, the league is being hailed as a game-changer for Indian rugby’s growth and global exposure.
HYDERABAD: Under the bright lights and roaring energy of the GMR Rugby Premier League (RPL) final, the Chennai Bulls rose to the occasion with a dominant 41-0 win over the Delhi Redz, sealing the inaugural title in style.
The Bulls, who had grown stronger with each passing match, saved their best for last as they outplayed the Redz in every facet of the game in front of a passionate crowd.
Coach Ben Gollings, who has guided the Bulls to the title, was full of praise, not just for his team, but for what the league has achieved in just a few weeks.
“I credit GMR and Rugby India in terms of the vision they had and how it’s played out over the last two weeks. It has been absolutely fantastic and I think for the sport, it’s huge. We have such opportunities in 15s but in sevens, this was much needed since the players can now play with the world’s best and ply their trade in the Olympics as well. The opportunity to earn well in the sports they love to play is fantastic. For the corporates, I think this is a great opportunity to get on board and I hope this grows and I look forward to seeing it again in the future,” Gollings said.
“They have created something special here and the exposure it’s given to rugby in India. Now is the time to harness this and strike while the iron’s hot, get the word out, get young people playing rugby. We’ve been here throwing rugby balls in the crowd, it would be lovely to see these balls thrown in the streets like they play cricket in the streets. That’s where it starts, it starts in the backyard with kids just having fun and then it starts to get more important as you start to get into the high performance but the lesson is, let’s keep it going and I think rugby is going to be a big game here on the map in India.”
The Bulls’ campaign was not only defined by their tries and points score, but also their unity in the locker room, with players from different cultures bonding over the game. Star player Terry Kennedy, who brought his international experience to the Indian stage, reflected on the journey with pride.
“I loved embracing and experiencing all the different cultures and characters within our team, how different people were but how much we embraced each other for everyone’s individuality and the personality traits that they bring. Despite the language barriers, rugby brought us all together and we had that connection all the way through,” Kennedy expressed.
He also spoke on the standard of rugby played in the league. “The competitiveness was unbelievable, I think all six teams were really good on their day and we had a ton of really close matches. I think it’s probably going to grow over time and from next season the teams will probably develop that cohesiveness quicker because they’ll have this year to reflect, so the competitiveness and the quality is only going to go up over the years.”
Shahnawaz Ahmed, one of India’s renowned rugby players, echoed the sentiment as he spoke about the impact of the league, on not just the Indians participating in the league, but also the ones watching from their homes.
“Without GMR RPL, we would have to go through a lot of stages before competing amongst such big international stars. But because of this league, we have had the exposure of playing with the world’s best. The learnings and observations from this league is going to have a huge benefit for the domestic clubs and the national team of India.”
“Because of RPL our juniors, our teammates will get hope that they can also play at this level. They will now be more motivated since because of RPL, rugby is becoming a household name and its popularity in India has increased a lot,” he added.
The GMR RPL has not just delivered entertaining action on the field, but it has also sparked a sporting movement that brings Indian rugby closer to the global stage. The league saw many Indians the likes of Javed Hussain of Hyderabad Heroes, rub shoulders and share locker rooms with International Olympians which is set to have a transformative impact on the Indian Rugby Ecosystem.
