Mike Coverdale Returns to RPL 2026 – “I am excited to go back again”

Michael Coverdale is an experienced Rugby Sevens player and one of the veterans in the Hong Kong China Men’s 7s team, which has accumulated several Asian titles.

In the inaugural Rugby Premier League season, he played with the Delhi Redz, and as the second season gets underway, he has been picked up by the Bengaluru Bravehearts. We heard from him about his rugby journey and what he is excited about in RPL 2026.

Photo Credit – Bengaluru Bravehearts / Mike Coverdale

Mike Coverdale on HKCR 7s  – “I’ve seen progression in terms of how we’ve improved”

At the Cathay HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2026, Coverdale was the most-capped player in the HKCR Men’s team as they won their third consecutive Melrose Challenge title, defeating Japan and China in front of a packed Kai Tak Stadium. But where did his rugby 7s journey begin?

Mike Coverdale told us, “I had just finished school, and I was going to go to university, but I decided to take a gap year. At the time I was very lucky that the Hong Kong Sevens program just started at the Hong Kong Sports Institute. My coach at the time, who coached me through the academy, was Kane Jury (now leading the New Zealand U2os and appointed as the NZRU men’s National Pathways Head Coach).

Photo Credit – HKCR – Mike Coverdale Melrose Claymores 2026

He became an assistant coach of the HK Sevens team and offered me a junior contract to join the setup, and I was there for probably around a year, and then I got my first cap, which was in the August 2014 Asian Sevens Series in Hong Kong, at Hong Kong Football Club, which is the club I play for. So, it was very special.”

In more than a decade representing HKCR, they have had their ups and downs. Reaching the Olympics would arguably be their biggest goal, as well as competing at the top level of the HSBC SVNS Series, two goals they have fallen agonisingly short of several times.

How has he seen the progression, and does he think Hong Kong China is on course to potentially play at the Olympics?

“Having been there for a long time with different coaches and different players coming into the team, I’ve seen progression in terms of how we’ve improved as a team. I think unfortunately we’ve fallen short in a lot of qualifiers, whether the Olympic qualifier through Asia, or the World Seven Series qualifications when we’ve been in those finals.

I have seen progression in terms of being number two in Asia behind Japan to now being number one, but I think we’re looking to get onto that next stage of being on the World SVNS Series. It’s been revamped now – that is a big goal of ours.

Of course, reaching the Olympics is a big goal too. We’ve come close. I played in all three qualifier finals. We want to qualify for the Olympics. I think we’re heading in the right direction.

The big focus for us in 2026 is the Asian Games. We want to win three gold medals in a row, which is something that has never been achieved.

The way the SVNS series is formatted now, we don’t get those opportunities as much to play the top teams, so it’s about creating competition and training, but also looking for that exposure elsewhere.”

Photo Credit – HKCR – Mike Coverdale Melrose Claymores 2026

Melrose Claymores 2026 – Coverdale’s Try-Saving Tackle

We had to ask him about the try-saving tackle he made at the Melrose Claymores during the Cathay HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2026, in which he tracked back the length of the field to stop a Japanese player from scoring – the crowd went wild inside Kai Tak.

“People have asked me a lot about it, but to be honest, I simply don’t really have an answer for that. At the time, we were in their 22m area and getting close to scoring. Then they broke free, but for me, there’s no lost cause. So I just ran and said to myself, “let’s just see if I can get him.”

As he got closer, I was like, oh, wow, I might get him, then just got him in the corner. To be honest, I kind of even surprised myself that I could run that fast, and that late in the game, and make that tackle. That is just ingrained in us – that there’s no lost cause and you just always work hard and anything can happen.”

We saw the immediate reaction of his coaches and some of the typing players at the time. It must go a long way for the younger guys to see those actions from experienced players and have a big impact?

“Yeah, as a younger player, I’d always look up to the guys, especially when they do something inspirational, and it sticks in your mind. It makes you want to work hard, and you tell yourself – I can do things like that.”

Photo Credit – HKCR – Mike Coverdale Melrose Claymores 2026 Champions

Rugby Premier League 2026 – Season Two

As we said, Coverdale will play for the second time in the Indian RPL this season. We asked him what the conversations were last season and the support he had from the HKCR union to get the green light to go and play.

“Last year came about because the RPL were approaching unions for players, and they approached Hong Kong China Rugby. I was asked if I was interested, and I said, “yeah, definitely.”

I was not sure what to expect, but after seeing some of the names that were going, and the rosters for the teams, I was very excited.

To play with and against those players, and to be in that environment for weeks of training with some of the world’s best SVNS Seven Series coaches and players would be such a good opportunity to learn and grow as a player. Once I was there, it surpassed my expectations.

It was very professional, ran very well, and the team really looked after us. It was a different format, playing a game every night, four minutes for four quarters, and it took a bit of a toll towards the end on the body, but it was a great learning experience.

I took away a lot of learnings and got exposure to play with and against some of the best players in the world- well, you don’t get that opportunity as much now, so it was amazing.”

Photo Credit – RPL – Mike Coverdale – 2025 Delhi Redz

Last season he was with the Delhi Redz, who were runners-up to the Chennai Bulls. His coach was Tomasi Cama, the former NZ 7s player and NZ 7s Men’s Coach – who stepped away at the end of the recent SVNS season after being involved in 150 tournaments as player and coach!

“I was very grateful to have that opportunity to learn from him (Tomasi Cama). It’s just a different environment and different perspectives on how people view the game of Sevens, and he helped me a lot. He is a great coach and a great person. He always gave me little insights and tricks to add to my game training, and after games, we went through footage – he showed me things where I can improve or what I’ve done.

It was a great experience, not just learning from him, but also the players on my team and learning how they see the game.”

Mike Coverdale – Bengaluru Bravehearts RPL 2026

This season Mike Coverdale has been signed by the Bengaluru Bravehearts, who have drafted the likes of Akuila Rokolisoa & Ngarohi McGarvey Black (NZ), Philip Wokorach & Denis Etwau (Uganda), Henry Hutchison (Australia), Shilton Van Wyk (SA), Ryan Apps (GB), Motu Opetai (Samoa).

Shilton Van Wyk and Henry Hutchison were both named in the HSBC SVNS Dream Team at the end of the season, while Paco Hernandez is his Head Coach – the former Spain Men’s 7s player is the Spain Men’s 7s Head Coach.

Mike Coverdale – Bengaluru Bravehearts RPL 2026

“I was nominated by the Delhi Redz to go back into the draft, and they planned to draft me again, but I got picked up by the Bengaluru Bravehearts. I got a nice message after the draft from the Redz, saying it was a shame they missed out on me.

I am excited to go back again, and there are more players from around the world, and I am with a new team, a new environment, but hopefully a nice new challenge,” explained Coverdale of this RPL season.

Mike Coverdale said the team had a WhatsApp group and they would be flying in at staggered times and have a shorter prep time compared to last season. It’s a new city and new venue too in 2026 – but how much did he get a chance to enjoy the off-field action last year?

“It was great. After the games, fans wanted autographs and photos, so we had time to interact with them. They’d be waiting outside the buses after the stadium and were generally excited.

This year, because I’m going to Bangalore first, which is where the team’s from, we’ve got some community outreach plans, so it will be good to be involved with the Bangalore community and promote the team there. We head off to Hyderabad just before the tournament.”

All of the teams will need to quickly create a squad environment with the limited time.

“Last year we had two weeks of prep, so we had quite a few training sessions, and the chance to go out for four meals and go see the sites with the team. It was a natural way to bond and get to know each other.

This time, I think they’ve already selected the captains, like Henry Hutchinson and McGarvey Black, but we have some time in Bangalore, and we’ll be quite a close-knit group and bond together quite quickly, to create that team environment.”

One of the many benefits is players like Mike Coverdale heading back into their national rep setups and taking his learnings with him.

“I shared what I learned and gave feedback into the coaching styles, how they want to play the game, and what I learned. I just learned so much over there. It was a privilege to be there, and I definitely want to bring back any learnings. Paco Hernandez as a coach has been very successful with Spain on the HSBC World SVNS Series, so you’re bound to learn things, and I had huge takeaways last year, so happy to share that with my teammates and the coaches at HKCR.”

Photo Credit – RPL – Mike Coverdale – 2025 Delhi Redz

The Sevens Rugby Landscape

The RPL is not the only franchise Sevens Series globally, and there seem to be more ways to expose the game to a wider audience and get players more chances to play.

Mike Coverdale said, “I agree with you, I think the more franchise leagues, the better. Even for the World SVNS Series, there are fewer tournaments now compared to in the past. When I was starting, there were a lot of legs; I can’t remember exactly how many, but there were a lot more.

I think the way it’s going, obviously there are fewer tournaments, especially if you’re non-SVNS 1; so it creates a bit of a gap between the top teams and the developing nations.

I think the more franchise leagues that give you more exposure for guys like myself in my situation, where we’re not in SVNS 1, and for other guys who just want to keep playing throughout the year. It helps Sevens grow the game.”

Rugby Premier League 2026

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