New Delhi [India] June 24 : Indian Rugby Football Union President Rahul Bose claimed that in India, out of 760 districts, Rugby is played in 322, which is approximately 40% of the country's districts.
Under Bose Rugby India organised the inaugural edition of the Rugby Premier League (RPL) in India started from June 15. RPL is the first-ever franchise-based league in the world and has six founding franchises in the opening edition.
The franchises, Bengaluru Bravehearts, Chennai Bulls, Delhi Redz, Hyderabad Heroes, Kalinga Black Tigers, and the Mumbai Dreamers.
While speaking to ANI, Rahul Bose said, "There are 760 districts in India, approximately. Rugby is played in 322 districts. 40% of India's districts play rugby. Nobody knows. Each district is about 2 million people. 322 districts is quite easily 600 million people."
Bose highlighted that rugby in India is mainly played by the poorest of the poor, emphasising this as a reality rather than a boast.
"If you go to 322 districts of India and you shout rugby, someone's hand will come up. So, who is playing? The poorest of the poor. This is not a boast. This is a reality. This game is played by the poorest of the poor. We don't do a caste census or anything like that. But if you asked, I would reckon it's the absolute bottom line layer of the pyramid," he added.
He felt that rugby in India has expanded beyond its rural roots, with national players emerging from very poor areas.
"In India, it is now a grassroots rural hinterland and even an urban area. Some of our national players have come from, I don't want to use the word slums, but very poor areas outside Jaipur," Bose said.
Bose also reflected on the learning he had from Rugby, citing to move forward in life with people, how to deal with fear, and to smile when you lose if you've done your best.
"If you want to move forward in life, take people with you. Don't go alone. It's just not worth it. The second thing this game taught me was fear. Sheer physical fear. There's fear. What are you going to do with it? The last thing Rugby taught me is how to lose. Which is that, it's going to happen. But how are you going to treat it? And you, there's only one way to treat it. With a laugh, With a laugh and a smile. If you've done your best on the field."
While speaking on the best-performing states of India, in Rugby, he said, "Maharashtra, Odisha, Bihar, Haryana, Bengal, these are the best-performing states, but penetration, Kerala, Rajasthan.
Bose said that the motive of the Rugby Premier League is to change the ecosystem of Indian rugby.
"I'm doing it to make sure that this league changes the ecosystem of Indian rugby," he said.
He talked about his playing career earlier in cricket, where he was a left-arm seamer, but due to his short height, he realised that there was no future for him in the sport to become a fast bowler.
"I used to play cricket very seriously, like all boys. But at the school, kind of, inter-school level, and I used to be a left-arm opening bowler. I, as you can see, I'm vertically challenged. So let's just call it short. I'm five feet six inches tall or short. And so I realised that there was no future for me in [cricket] the sport if I'm going to be trying to become a fast bowler," Bose said.
Across the 34 matches, the RPL offers Indian players a great platform to rub shoulders and work alongside the most elite rugby players and coaches worldwide.
The grand finale of Season 1 is scheduled for June 29, promising two weeks of high-octane rugby action as the teams vie for the coveted trophy.