The Indian U20 Women’s rugby team, boosted by enthusiastic home support, surged into the semi-finals of the Asia Rugby Emirates Rugby 7s U20 Championship. The U20 Men’s team also achieved a significant milestone with their first-ever victory against UAE. The women’s team, coached by Kiano Fourie and led by captain Bhumika Shukla, commenced their campaign with a 17-10 win against Kazakhstan, with Guriya Kumari, Anshu Kumari, and Alpana Kumari scoring tries. This was followed by a dominant 31-7 win against UAE, featuring two tries from Bhumika and contributions from Tanushree Bhosale, Muskan Piploda, and Anshu, thus securing their semi-final spot before facing Hong Kong China. In the men’s competition, the team coached by Paco Hernandez secured a historic 24-17 victory over UAE, marking India’s first-ever win at the U20 level. Charan Hembram, Goldan Kumar, and David Munda contributed tries, with David’s second try sealing the win despite UAE’s spirited comeback. Despite their efforts, the men’s team faced losses against Sri Lanka and Hong Kong China. Sri Lanka and Hong Kong China advanced from Pool A, and China and Malaysia topped Pool B. The Indian U20 Women are set to compete in the semi-finals, while the men’s team aims to conclude their campaign positively against Kazakhstan.
