HSBC Rugby Premier League Season 2026: Men’s Squad Previews

The HSBC Rugby Premier League (RPL) 2026 season gets underway from June 16–28 at Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad, and once again the six men’s franchises are involved – we look at who has been signed up for RPL Season 2.

Feature Photo Credit – RPL / Updated June 17

The Chennai Bulls are the defending champions, and the Delhi Redz were runners-up in RPL’s inaugural season.

Rugby India President Rahul Bose told Rugby Asia 247 of the second Rugby Premiere League season, “The most exciting thing for any fan of rugby, and that’s what I consider myself to be, is the quality of rugby being played, and that depends on the quality of players.

There is a tremendous amount of flexibility, and players can really give their all. It’s also great for coaches, as they have 14 players to use and can rotate, select, and mix and match, creating a very exciting challenge.”

Strong International Talent in RPL – Rugby Premier League 2026

Bose explained of the signings this season, “Just look at the list of players we have this year, and last year was super impressive with the likes of Perry Baker, Rosco Specman, Terry Kennedy, and this year we have such exciting talent from 19 countries, which is extraordinary.

We have a strong presence from France and South Africa this year; we have a bolstered presence from New Zealand, Australia, and the Fijians, as well as having the Spanish and Argentines coming back – so it’s a great bunch.”

Following the completion of the HSBC SVNS Series, the RPL will also feature five players who were recognised at the end-of-season awards in the Men’s SVNS Dream Team of the Year, as well as Men’s Player of the Year from the Blitzboks – Tristan Leyds, and Australian captain and nominee Henry Hutchison.

• Tristan Leyds – Mumbai Dreamers – HSBC Player of the Year 2026
• Shilton Van Wyk – Bengaluru Bravehearts
• Henry Hutchison – Bengaluru Bravehearts
• Vuiviwa Naduvalo – Kolkata Banga Tigers
• Luciano Gonzalez – Delhi Redz

The coaching talent also features four national team head coaches, including the South African Men’s World and Series Champions Philip Snyman (Mumbai Dreamers).

The full Rugby Premiere League 2026 schedule can be seen here.

Asian Representation in Men’s Rugby Premiere League 2026

In addition to the Indian players present in all teams, there are four other Asian players in RPL 2026.

• Mike Coverdale (Hong Kong China 7s & Bengaluru Bravehearts)
• Shotaro Tsuoka (Japan 7s & Kolkata Banga Tigers)
• Hidayat Jerffrydin (Singapore 7s & Chennai Bulls)
• Srinath Sooriyabandara (Sri Lanka 7s & Kolkata Banga Tigers)

Michael Coverdale, who played in last year’s RPL with the Delhi Redz, told Rugby Asia 247 in a soon-to-be-published interview, “I thought it was such a good opportunity to learn and grow as a player. It was very professional, run very well, you know. The team really looked after us. I think I took away a lot of learnings from it and the exposure to play with some of the best sevens players in the world, and against them.

I am excited to go back again, and there are more players from around the world, and I am with a different team. I was nominated by the Delhi Redz to go back into the draft, and they planned to draft me again, but obviously I got picked up by the Bengaluru Brave Hearts. I got a nice message after the draft from my old team saying it was a shame they missed out on me, as they planned to draft me. So it is a new team, new environment, but hopefully a nice new challenge.”

Japanese 7s player, Shotaro Tsuoka, said via the JRFU, “I am honoured to be able to play sevens with international players from all over the world. I will run and tackle with all my might so that this challenge in the Premier League will lead to a brighter future for Japan Sevens.”

Men’s Teams – RPL 2026

*There have been new players announced since the draft, but neither the RPL nor the franchises have clearly said who they have replaced (same thing happened last year).

It should be noted that most franchises had a longer preparation time last season (up to four weeks for some), whereas this season, many have players and coaches flying in a week or less before the season gets underway. How quickly the teams bond and connect might be crucial this season for the Men’s RPL franchises.

The squads are also slightly larger, we have been told, as the format can take effect towards the end of the campaign on the players and squad depth.

Chennai Bulls

• International Players: Joseva Talacolo (FIJ, Retained), Filipe Sauturaga (FIJ, Retained), Santiago Alvarez (ARG), Sunni Jardine (GBR), Tobias Sanz-Trapaga (ESP), Ethan Turner (CAN), Taualai Panoa (SAM), Tusitafu Toilolo (SAM), Hidayat Jerffrydin (SGP)
• Indian Players: Mohit Khatri (HAR, 3.5L), Jugal Kishore Majhi (ODI, 1.25L), Karan Rajbhar (WB, 1.25L), Pranav Patil (MAH, 50k), Harpreet Singh Kamboj (PUN, 50k)
• Coach: Ben Gollings (Former England 7s player and record points scorer & Fiji 7s Men’s Coach. Been involved with the India agre grade and national 7s teams)
• Additional Signings: Marika Koroibete (Wallabies, and left JRLO Saitama Wild Knights after the recent season), Kaminieli Rasaku (Fiji and 2024 Paris Olympics silver medallist), Michael Icely (Australia 7s)

Bengaluru Bravehearts

• International Players:  Akuila Rokolisoa (NZL, Retained), Philip Wokorach (UGA, Retained), Henry Hutchison (AUS), Ngarohi McGarvey Black (NZL), Shilton Van Wyk (RSA), Ryan Apps (GBR), Denis Etwau (UGA), Motu Opetai (SAM), Michael Coverdale (HKG)
• Indian Players: Rajdeep Saha (WB, 1.25L), Devendra Raju Padir (MAH, 1.5L), Ganesh Dhangada Majhi (ODI, 90k), Akash Balmiki (WB, 50k), Arpan Chetri (WB, 1.25L)
• Coach: Paco Hernandez (Former Spain Men’s 7s player and current Spain Men’s 7s Head Coach)

Delhi Redz

• International Players:  Patrick Odongo Okongo (KEN, Retained), Luciano Gonzalez (ARG), Pol Pla (ESP), Josep Serres (ESP), Nygel Pettersen Amaitsa (KEN), Elias Hancock (CAN), Samuel Mosirori Asati (KEN), Jon Okoth Okeyo (KEN), Lennox Wiese (GER)
• Indian Players: Vinay A (KAR, 50k), Javed Hussein (DEL, 2L), Hitesh Dagar (HAR, 1.25L), Deepak Kumar Punia (HAR, 2.75L), Shridhar Shrikant Nigade (MAH, 1L)
• Coach: Tomasi Cama (Former NZ 7s player and NZ 7s Men’s Coach – he stepped away at the end of the recent season after being involved in 150 tournaments as player and coach)

Hyderabad Heroes

• International Players: Manuel Moreno Asensi (ESP, Retained), Kevin Wekesa (KEN, Retained), Maurice Longbottom (AUS), Regan Ware (NZL), Francisco Cosculluela (ESP), Diego Ardao (URU), Ravuama Seruvakula (SAM), Wolfram Hacker (GER)
• Indian Players: Shivam Shukla (DEL, 1.25L), Sumit Kumar Roy (WB, 3.75L), Muhammed Anes K (KER, 70k), Sambit Pradhan (ODI, 1L), Rajan Rawat (RAJ, 50k)
• Coach: DJ Forbes (Former NZ 7s player and current ChildFund Rugby ambassador)
• Additional Players: Taitaifono Senio Tavita (Samoa 7s) – replaced Dante Sotonida (URU).

Mumbai Dreamers

• International Players:  Ben Lasiel (PNG, Retained), James Turner (AUS), Santino Zangara (ARG), Lucas Mignot (FRA), Tristan Leyds (RSA), Guillaume Bouche (FRA), Nabo Sakoyi (RSA), Liam Poulton (CAN), Demetri Patterson (CAN)
• Indian Players: Sukumar Hembrom (WB, 1.25L), Prince Khatri (HAR, 2L), Asis Sabar (ODI, 50k), Vikas Khatri (HAR, 50k), Neeraj Khatri (HAR, Retained)
• Coach: Philip Snyman (Former SA 7s player and back-to-back HSBC SVNS World Championship winning coach)

Kolkata Banga Tigers

• International Players: Vuiviwa Naduvalo (FIJ), Thibaud Mazzoleni (FRA), Brady Rush (NZL), Ricardo Duartee (RSA), Lucas Lacamp (USA), Aaron Cummings (USA), Adrian Kasito (UGA), Niue Owen (SAM), Shotaro Tsuoka (JPN)
• Indian Players: Ajay Deswal (HAR, 1.5L), Prashant Arvind Pratap Singh (MAH, 2.75L), Shanawaz Ahmed (ODI, 1.25L), Deshraj Rathore (RAJ, 90k), Sanjay Kisan (ODI, 50k)
• Coach: Osea Kolinisau (Former Fiji 7s player and Olympic gold medal winner, former China Women’s 7s Coach and current Fiji Men’s 7s Head Coach).

How To Watch the Rugby Premier League 2026

RPL Season 2 will be broadcast on Indian television platform (Star Sports) and an online platform (JioHotstar), as well as on YouTube on Star Sports, which is where extended highlights of every game will be shown.

Sevens Rugby News 2026

• HSBC Rugby Premier League Season 2 Adds Four Women’s Franchises: Squad Previews.
• Rugby India President Rahul Bose – “It’s never about winning and losing – it’s always about maximising potential.”
• Gerry Prabhu On CASA, Rugby India’s Growth, and RPL Season 2.
• Asian International Rugby Tournaments 2026.