Hyderabad

Bengaluru Bravehearts and Delhi Redz Win Rugby Premier League Openers in Gachibowli

By Editorial·16 June 2026·1 min read

A photorealistic wide shot of an intense rugby match action under the bright floodlights of the Gachibowli Athletics Sta...

The second season of the HSBC Rugby Premier League, powered by Avid, officially commenced at the Gachibowli Athletics Stadium in Gachibowli, Hyderabad, on Tuesday.

The opening day of the tournament featured highly competitive matches, highlighted by a comeback victory for the Bengaluru Bravehearts and an impressive win for the Delhi Redz over the defending champions.

In the first encounter of the day, the host team, Hyderabad Heroes, started strong to please the local crowd. However, the Bengaluru Bravehearts displayed a disciplined defence that successfully levelled the score by the half-time whistle.

The Bravehearts seized momentum in the third quarter when Diego Ardao scored a crucial try to put Bengaluru ahead. Although the Hyderabad Heroes responded to keep the score tight, Bengaluru captain Ngarohi McGarvey crossed over for a try in the final quarter. This late score sealed a hard-fought 28-21 victory for the Bravehearts.

In the second match, the Delhi Redz established an early advantage against the defending champions, Chennai Bulls. Josep Serres scored to help the Redz race into a 12-0 lead.

The Chennai Bulls launched a comeback at the start of the second quarter, with Filipe Sauturaga scoring a try to get the defending champions on the scoreboard. Tololo then added another try to put the Bulls in front.

Despite the setback, the Delhi Redz regained control of the game and built a 10-point lead going into the final quarter. The Redz then focused on maintaining possession during the final minutes, successfully running down the clock to seal a 31-21 win.

The opening day of the tournament also scheduled several subsequent matches. The women's franchises were set to play later in the day, featuring matchups between the Chennai Bulls and Delhi Redz, as well as the Kolkata Banga Tigers against the Mumbai Dreamers. The men's competition for the day was scheduled to conclude with a fixture between the Kolkata Banga Tigers and the Mumbai Dreamers.