Hyderabad Heroes Clinch Rugby Premier League Season 2 Title with Dominant Win Over Mumbai Dreamers
Vice-captain Sumit Kumar Roy, who was also named the Indian Player of the Tournament, expressed his delight over the victory, saying the team's strong bonding off the field translated into outstanding performances on it. He described his individual award as recognition of the hard work put in by the entire squad.
Hyderabad: Hyderabad Heroes were crowned champions of the Rugby Premier League (RPL) Season 2 after registering a commanding 41-17 victory over Mumbai Dreamers in the final at the Gachibowli Stadium on Sunday.
The title-winning performance capped an impressive campaign for the Heroes, who showcased disciplined defence, clinical finishing and relentless attacking play to outclass the Dreamers before a packed home crowd.
Mumbai Dreamers enjoyed the majority of possession in the opening stages but failed to convert their opportunities into points as Hyderabad’s resolute defence forced crucial turnovers. The Heroes capitalised through swift counter-attacks, with Francisco Cosculluela’s steal setting up Taitaifono Tavita before captain Manuel Moreno created an easy finish for Shivam Shukla. Maurice Longbottom added a drop goal to give Hyderabad a comfortable advantage at halftime.
The Heroes maintained their momentum after the break. Tavita once again created space on the left flank for Diego Ardao to score, while Mumbai responded through Ethan McFarland after a well-worked move. However, Hyderabad continued to punish mistakes, with Ardao scoring his second try before Kevin Wekesa and Terio Tamani extended the lead. James Turner and Sukumar Hembrom scored late consolation points for Mumbai, but Hyderabad comfortably sealed the championship.
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Captain Manu Moreno praised his teammates after the victory, saying the squad had justified its status as one of the tournament’s strongest teams through hard work and determination despite being together for less than three weeks.
Head coach DJ Forbes said he was extremely proud of the team’s commitment throughout the tournament and credited the players for proving themselves when it mattered most. He added that their championship triumph was a fitting reward for their efforts.
Vice-captain Sumit Kumar Roy, who was also named the Indian Player of the Tournament, expressed his delight over the victory, saying the team’s strong bonding off the field translated into outstanding performances on it. He described his individual award as recognition of the hard work put in by the entire squad.
The tournament, organised by GMR Sports in partnership with Rugby India, concluded in the presence of Telangana Chief Minister Anumula Revanth Reddy, GMR Group Corporate Chairman Kiran Kumar Grandhi, actor Chiranjeevi, Olympic medallist P.V. Sindhu, actress Mrunal Thakur, GMR Airports Chairman G.B.S. Raju, and Rugby India President and League Commissioner Rahul Bose.
With the emphatic victory, Hyderabad Heroes lifted the Rugby Premier League Season 2 trophy, cementing their place as the league’s newest champions.
