‘The Ultimate Solution? The Bollywood Icon Driving Rugby’s Ambitious IPL Revolution’

Rugby and Bollywood are joining forces in a surprising collaboration to unveil the world’s inaugural franchise-based sevens competition.

Wide World of Sports was present at a World Rugby briefing during last weekend’s Hong Kong Sevens, where renowned Indian actor Rahul Bose captivated the audience for nearly 30 minutes.

Bose, who represented India in rugby from 1998 to 2009, now serves as president of the nation’s rugby federation.

Bose boasts nearly 50 films to his credit over a remarkable 30-year acting career, and he often had to explain his bruises on set with elaborate stories.

Time magazine once dubbed him “the superstar of Indian arthouse cinema.”

Bose’s influence and enthusiasm were instrumental in helping Rugby India gain traction with World Rugby. The governing body has approved a 15-day tournament set to commence in Mumbai this June.

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This is not a late April Fool’s gag; the IPL-inspired Rugby Premier League is genuinely happening.

Among the sevens stars who have committed include Perry Baker, Scott Curry, Rosko Specman, Terry Kennedy, and Harry McNulty, alongside Australian talents Henry Hutchison, Maurice Longbottom, and James Turner.

Several top coaches are also on board, including Australia’s Tim Walsh, England’s Ben Gollings, USA’s Mike Friday, and New Zealand’s Tomasi Cama.

Bose mentioned that approximately 100,000 to 120,000 people in India, the world’s most populous country with 1.438 billion inhabitants, participate in rugby.

“This aligns perfectly with our aim to penetrate a new, emerging market—one with enormous potential,” stated World Rugby chairman and former Wallabies flanker Brett Robinson to WWOS.

“It’s an opportunity for individuals to experience, view, and ultimately grow the sport. From our standpoint, it’s an ideal match, and the integration with our existing platforms ensures its sustainability.”

“At the core of our mission, this represents a fantastic opportunity for the sport… to innovate, experiment, and explore new avenues,” he added.

The franchises will hail from Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Bhubaneswar, with a women’s league in the pipeline for next season.

Each franchise is backed by a key Indian corporate player, such as Adani Sportsline, Manipal Hospitals, and the Bagmane Group.

The Rugby Premier League is designed for national television broadcasts, with prime time slots already secured.

Billionaire Kiran Grandhi is financially backing the initiative and was seated between Robinson and Bose during the briefing.

“These are sleeping giants; this could be the key to unlocking their potential,” Bose expressed to reporters.

Bose remarked, “You know how Han Solo would jump into that Star Wars ship and speed off into the stars? That’s how we aspire to accelerate India’s competitiveness in rugby—from a 30-year journey to one that might span only eight or nine years.”

All matches will be hosted at the Mumbai Football Arena, with teams each playing 10 pool games before the finals.

A player draft is in the works, though it won’t be broadcast live.

Initially, some players expressed hesitation about the league, but once they learned about the coaching staff and that World Rugby was involved, only one declined.

As a result, they realised, “Alright, this league means business. They understand their rugby.”

Players will receive an initial payment of $24,000 for a month’s commitment, which includes training and competition.

The squads will consist of 13 players, including five international marquee athletes, five local Indian players, and three additional players from Kenya, Hong Kong, and Germany.

“This league has been in the making for six years, as we wanted to ensure we got everything right,” Bose explained.

“The first significant development came from World Rugby, which granted us a 15-day window during which no international rugby sevens matches would occur anywhere globally. This allowed us to secure the best players available.”

“From there, partnering with GMR Sports has allowed us to create optimal conditions for both international and local players, aligning with some of the most dedicated and astute team owners, alongside securing an excellent broadcast partnership with JioStar. It has truly been an incredible journey.”

“Rugby sevens has proven to be one of the most captivating sports to watch on television in recent history.”

“Welcome to the Rugby Premier League, India and the world.”

Sam Worthington travelled to the HSBC Hong Kong Sevens thanks to the Hong Kong Tourism Board, Cathay Pacific and The Langham