RISHABH PAREKH, OP
Bhubaneswar: The National Rugby 15s Championship 2026 – Division 1 concluded at Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar, with Delhi Hurricanes defending their title and securing a hat-trick by defeating Bombay Gymkhana 45–12 in the men’s final. Delhi Hurricanes reaffirmed their rule in Indian rugby with a commanding all-round performance in the final. Tries from Neeraj, Pradeep Kumar Tanwar, Mannu Tanwar, Aniket, Abhishek Shukla, and Prince Khatri led the charge, while Deepak Kumar Punia added crucial points to secure their third straight national title. Bombay Gymkhana showed resilience, with Shridhar Shrikant Nigade and Rohit Prakash Kadam scoring, but the Hurricanes’ powerful attack ultimately proved decisive.
In the third-place playoff, Future Hope Harlequins delivered a strong performance to outclass Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) 31–12 and claim the bronze medal. Mithun Hazra, Arpan Chhetri, and Sheikh Badal were key contributors for Future Hope, while Attma Murmu and Fagun Majhi scored tries for KISS, but they could not narrow the deficit. While being asked about the game against KISS, Future Hope captain said, “It was a good match. We dominated the second half more. We could sense we had a physical advantage over them in context to our height and size. We were upset with the semifinal loss. But sealing the bronze medal was a moment of joy for us. We love the venue and infrastructure. The food and stay has been really great too.” Sergeant Institute defeated Rebels RC 19–10 to secure seventh place, with Namjan Mundu scoring two tries, supported by Ankur Sarania and Anupam Bhengra. Rebels RC responded through Kevin Pandya and Vinit. In the Plate Final, Bangalore RC beat Calcutta Cricket and Football Club (CC&FC) 24–12 to finish fifth, with Arvinjit Oinam delivering a standout performance alongside Akhil A and Subash J, while CC&FC scored through Denzil Fredrick Dsilva, Bhupinder Singh and Shuvomoy Brahma.
The closing ceremony and trophy presentation were conducted in the presence of several distinguished dignitaries including Bhupendra Singh Poonia, IAS, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Department of Sports & Youth Services, Government of Odisha; Bijaya Kumar Swain, OAS, Additional Secretary, Department of Sports & Youth Services; Gerald Prabhu, Honorary Secretary, Indian Rugby Football Union; Sashwat Kumar Raut, Officer on Special Duty; and Upendra Mohanty, Vice-President, Odisha Rugby Football Association.
Organised by the Indian Rugby Football Union with the support of the Department of Sports and Youth Services, Government of Odisha and the Odisha Rugby Football Association, the National Rugby 15s Championship remains the country’s premier club rugby tournament, bringing together the best teams from across India and strengthening the pathway for players to progress to the national stage.
Orissa POST – Odisha’s No.1 English Daily
