Defending champions Bihar, last year’s runners-up Rajasthan, bronze medallists Maharashtra, and hosts Odisha delivered commanding performances on the opening day of the Boys’ Under-15 competition at the 10th Sub-Junior National Rugby Sevens Championship, as the Kalinga Stadium witnessed a high-scoring start to the knockout journey.
The opening day saw over 1,200 points scored across a full slate of group-stage matches followed by the Pre-Quarterfinals, with the leading contenders asserting early dominance to book their places in the last eight. Bihar were clinical throughout the day, Rajasthan showcased attacking firepower, Maharashtra combined structure with pace, while Odisha thrilled the home crowd with emphatic wins.
The championship was formally declared open earlier in the day during a brief ceremonial function by Shri Sachin R. Jadhav, IAS, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Department of Sports & Youth Services, Government of Odisha, in the presence of Padma Shri Dr. Dilip Kumar Tirkey, President, Hockey India; Shri Bijaya Kumar Swain, OAS, Additional Secretary, Department of Sports & Youth Services, Government of Odisha; Shri Priyadarshi Mishra, President, Odisha Rugby Football Association; and Shri Upendra Kumar Mohanty, Vice President, Odisha Rugby Football Association. Team captains from participating states were present on the field as the ceremonial balloon release marked the official commencement of the competition.
Group Stage: Title Contenders Lay Down a Marker
In the group stage, Bihar underlined their status as defending champions with dominant wins over Chandigarh (61-0) and Assam (55-0), producing some of the biggest margins of the day. Rajasthan, runners-up last year, were equally ruthless in Pool B, defeating both Jammu & Kashmir and Andhra Pradesh with 69-0 scoreline.
Maharashtra, bronze medallists in the previous edition, registered convincing victories over Haryana (50-7) and Karnataka (45-0), while Odisha made full use of home conditions with emphatic wins against Madhya Pradesh (40-0) and Kerala (40-0) to top their pool.
Other notable group-stage results included Gujarat’s 40-0 win over Telangana, Delhi’s 36-0 victory against Himachal Pradesh, and West Bengal’s controlled performances to progress comfortably.
Cup Pre-Quarterfinals: Momentum Maintained
The Cup Pre-Quarterfinals further reinforced the hierarchy established earlier in the day. Bihar powered past Karnataka 53-0, Rajasthan defeated Andhra Pradesh 48-7, and Maharashtra overcame Assam 38-0 to seal their quarterfinal berths. Odisha capped off the evening session with a commanding 38-7 victory over Jharkhand, drawing loud cheers from the home supporters at the Kalinga Stadium.
As the dust settled on Day One, the quarterfinal lineup reflected the consistency and pedigree of India’s leading age-group rugby programmes.
The Boys’ U15 Quarterfinals, scheduled for January 21 at the Kalinga Stadium, are as follows:
- 9:00 AM – Quarterfinal 1: Uttarakhand vs Rajasthan
- 9:20 AM – Quarterfinal 2: Delhi vs Odisha
- 9:40 AM – Quarterfinal 3: West Bengal vs Maharashtra
- 10:00 AM – Quarterfinal 4: Uttar Pradesh vs Bihar
With the knockout stage now set, the championship moves into a decisive phase as India’s most promising young rugby players continue their quest for national honours.
The 10th Sub-Junior National Rugby Sevens Championship is being organised by Rugby India in collaboration with the Government of Odisha, the Department of Sports & Youth Services, Government of Odisha, and the Odisha Rugby Football Association.
