Patna, Bihar, 5th August 2016: Shri. Shiv Chandra Ram, Hon’ble Minister, Art, Culture & Youth, Bihar, today, inaugurated the opening ceremony of the “Societe Generale Senior National Rugby Sevens Championship 2016” at Patliputra Stadium, Patna, Bihar. The other dignitaries, Shri. Shravan Kumar, Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Bihar, Shri. Mritunjay Tiwary RJD’s spokesperson Bihar State and Abhishek Ranjan were also present at the event.

A total of 19 States and affiliated Units from Maharashtra, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Bihar, Services Sports Control Board (SSCB) and CRPF participated in the event. A total of 18 State teams in Men’s and 12 teams in Women’s category are vying for Gold at the Championships.

On day one of the “Societe Generale Senior National Rugby Sevens Championship 2016” the six topped ranked men’s teams (Haryana, West Bengal, Services, Maharashtra, Delhi and Odisha) and the four topped ranked women’s teams (Odisha , West Bengal, Maharashtra and Bihar) remained undefeated.

Commenting on the occasion Mr. Nasser Hussain, General Manager, Rugby India said, “We have received an overwhelming response for participation at the Societe Generale Senior National Rugby Sevens Championship 2016. We are grateful to Societe Generale for supporting this event and thereby helping us improve the overall playing standards and competitiveness of the sport. We are pleased that the Rugby Football Association of Bihar (RFAB) has played hosts to the Senior Nationals once again. The sport is growing in Bihar and it is encouraging to see the RFAB conduct development programmes like the ‘Get Into Rugby’ initiative across the State”.

Maharashtra’s Neha Pardeshi takes on Harayana’s defence

Highlighting Societe Generale’s global and local commitment to promote rugby, Evelyne Collin, Chief Executive and Country Officer – India said, “The Societe Generale Senior National Rugby Sevens Championship is happening right after our announcement of partnership with Rugby India. Through this partnership we aim to train, develop and groom national level players. This tournament is an ideal platform for players to showcase their skillset and be a part of the National India Rugby team. Additionally, we hope that with the ‘Get Into Rugby’ initiative will be able to harness the potential sports talent from the grassroots in the country, especially at locations where resources are limited. We are committed to making Rugby accessible to everyone and we hope that together with Rugby India we will build a strong national team to compete at a global level.”

The weekend also marks a global celebration for Rugby as the sport makes a comeback in the 2016 Rio Olympics after an absence of 92 years. Coincidentally, the Societe Generale Senior National Rugby Sevens Championship 2016 kicks off at the same time as the Rugby Sevens discipline at the Olympics and with the top teams competing in both events, the month of August promises to be a festival of Rugby showcasing some exciting and exhilarating Rugby action.

About Rugby India

Rugby India, founded in 1998, is the sole governing body for the sport of Rugby in India. Recognized by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sport, Govt. of India, Rugby India is a full member of World Rugby, Asia Rugby and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). The body is responsible for the grow & development of the sport of Rugby across the country from the grassroots to the high performance level. Rugby, besides being included in the School Games Federation of India (SGFI) for various age-groups (boys & girls), is also part of the Services Sports Control Board (SSCB) and played by the Paramilitary & Police Forces.

Rugby in India has a rich history and heritage and dates back to 1872. However, only over the last decade has the sport seen a major rise in following and Rugby India has been instrumental in garnering this interest across the country. There has been a significant growth and increase in participation numbers and currently, within India, over 150 Rugby Clubs are affiliated to our State and Districts