Tries for Kenya 7s stars Odongo and Wekesa as Rugby Premier League kicks off

Kenya 7s stars Patrick Odongo and Kevin Wekesa were on the scoresheet as the Rugby Premier League, RPL, got underway at the Andheri Sports Complex in Mumbai, India.

Odongo, who features for newly promoted Kenya Cup side Daystar Falcons, scored twice for Delhi Redz in a thrilling 21-21 draw against Bengaluru Bravehearts.

Rugby Premier League openers

He opened the scoring in the fourth minute of the first quarter, with Argentina’s Matias Osadczuk converting to cancel out Akuila Rokolisoa’s earlier converted try for the Bravehearts. Rokolisoa later added another converted try to restore Bengaluru’s lead, but Osadczuk responded with a try to level the match once more.

Odongo then scored his second try of the game in the third quarter, and it was converted. Bravehearts’ Philip Wokorach crossed the whitewash in the final quarter, levelling the score at 21-21.

In another match, Kevin Wekesa, who plays for Kenya Cup champions Kabras Sugar, scored the final try for Hyderabad Heroes in their 24-14 win over Kalinga Black Tigers. Joji Nasova, Manuel Moreno and Javed Hussein also got on the scoresheet for Hyderabad. Kalinga’s points came through Maurice Longbottom and Harry McNulty.

Chennai Bulls began their campaign with a 24-5 victory over Mumbai Dreamers, with Ireland’s Terry Kennedy impressing by scoring two tries.

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The RPL features a unique format, with each match lasting 22 minutes, split into four-minute quarters with two-minute breaks between each quarter. This results in a faster and more intense style of play compared to the traditional World Rugby Sevens format.

The tournament follows a double round-robin structure, with 30 pool matches scheduled. Each team will play 10 pool games before advancing to the playoffs, which will include two semi-finals, a bronze medal match and a final, making up a total of 34 matches. Teams are expected to play up to 12 matches over the 15-day competition.

RPL is India’s first professional Rugby 7s tournament, designed to deliver fast-paced, high-intensity action, while providing a platform for both emerging and elite talent. The competition aims to raise the profile of rugby in India, inspire the next generation of players and offer fans a vibrant, festival-like experience.

Each squad is made up of five marquee foreign players, three bridge players from countries such as Hong Kong China, Germany and Canada, and five Indian players. Teams are supported by some of the most recognized names in rugby coaching, including former USA 7s coach Mike Friday and ex-Fiji head coach Ben Gollings. Every team also includes an Indian assistant coach as part of its technical staff.

Rugby Premier League fixtures