Indian Women’s Rugby team to play in the Asia Rugby Women’s Sevens Trophy

The Societe Generale Indian Women’s Rugby team will compete in the Asian Rugby Women’s Sevens Trophy to be held in Vientiane, Laos on 17th & 18th February 2017.

The team is supported by Societe Generale, the financial partner of Rugby India and is participating under the aegis of the Indian Rugby Football Union (IRFU), the governing body for the sport of Rugby in India.

A total of seven countries from across Asia including South Korea, Philippines, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, India and hosts Lao will vie for top honour’s in the Asian Rugby Sevens 2017. Winner of this tournament will secure a spot in the Asian Rugby Women’s Sevens Series, which will feature three legs and will be played between 1st September to 14th October 2017.

Speaking on the occasion Mr. Mahesh Mathai, Secretary General, Rugby India said, “It is very encouraging to see Women’s Rugby grow at such a rapid rate across the nation. The past five years has seen a tremendous growth in women’s participation in the sport. The total number of female players has grown from 5,355 in 2012 to 42, 032 in 2016. This represents a 600 % rise.”

“Recently, the Indian Under-18 Girls Rugby team secured bronze in the Asian Rugby tournament held in December 2016 at Dubai, UAE. We are thankful to Societe Generale for contributing immensely to our efforts of developing the sport across all age groups. We are confident that the team will do their best to bring home accolades yet again,” he added.

The players shortlisted to join the Indian National Training Camp were selected during the Federation Cup Rugby Sevens Championship 2016’ held on 28th & 29th January 2017 at the Biju

Patnaik Sports Complex, Utkal University, Bhubaneswar. Post the Federation Cup, the training & selection camp held at Bombay Gymkhana Grounds in Mumbai from 4th to 16th February 2017.

The following 12 players are selected from across India to represent the nation at the Asia Rugby Women’s Sevens Trophy in Laos.

Maharashtra

Neha Pardeshi (Captain),

Vahbiz Bharucha,

Ruchi Shetty

New Delhi

Priya Bansal

Namita Bhoj

Neha S

Odisha

Hupi Majhi

Laxmipriya Sahu

Meerarani Hembram

Sanjukta Munda

Bhagyalaxmi Barik

Subhalaxmi Barik

Coach

Nasser Hussain (Coach)

Rehmuddin Shaikh (Asst. Coach)