Bihar once again underlined their dominance in India’s age-group rugby as they were crowned champions of the Boys’ Under-15 category at the 10th Sub-Junior National Rugby Sevens Championship, defeating hosts Odisha in the final at the Kalinga Stadium on Wednesday evening.
The defending champions produced a composed and clinical performance to win 25–5, retaining the title they had lifted last year and confirming their status as the most consistent youth rugby programme in the country. Rajasthan, meanwhile, completed the podium with a commanding 38–7 victory over Maharashtra in the bronze-medal playoff.
The concluding day of the two-day championship was packed with high-intensity rugby, beginning with the quarterfinals, where the tournament’s top contenders wasted no time in asserting their authority. Rajasthan delivered one of the most dominant performances of the day, demolishing Uttarakhand 41–0 with a display of speed, structure, and ruthless finishing. Hosts Odisha kept their title hopes alive by overcoming Delhi 17–5, controlling the tempo and showing discipline in both attack and defence.
Maharashtra secured their semifinal berth by defeating West Bengal 17–5 in a well-managed contest, while defending champions Bihar looked every bit the team to beat as they powered past Uttar Pradesh 46–7. Bihar’s ability to combine physical dominance with quick ball movement once again set them apart, and it was clear early on that they were in no mood to relinquish their crown.
The semifinal stage brought contrasting narratives, particularly for the home side. Odisha delivered one of the standout moments of the entire championship when they produced a stirring comeback against Rajasthan. Trailing 5–0 at halftime, the hosts showed tremendous resilience, tightening up in defence and gradually building pressure in attack. Their persistence paid off with two unanswered tries in the second half, the latter coming in dramatic last-gasp fashion to seal a 12–5 victory and send the Kalinga Stadium crowd into raptures.
In the other semifinal, Bihar once again demonstrated why they are such a formidable knockout-stage team. Against a determined Maharashtra side, the reigning champions stayed patient and disciplined, eventually pulling away to record a 15–7 win. It was not their highest-scoring outing of the tournament, but it was arguably one of their most mature performances, as they absorbed pressure and struck at the right moments to book their place in yet another final.
Rajasthan, who had fallen just short of the final, responded in emphatic fashion in the third-place playoff. Facing Maharashtra, the runners-up from last year showed no lingering disappointment as they unleashed an explosive attacking display to win 38–7. Their blend of pace on the outside and physicality through the middle allowed them to dominate the contest from the outset, ensuring they finished the tournament with a well-deserved bronze medal.
The final between Bihar and Odisha was played under lights at the iconic Kalinga Stadium, providing a fitting stage for the title decider. While the hosts were buoyed by home support, it was Bihar who quickly took control of the contest. Executing their game plan with precision, they kept the ball alive, attacked the spaces intelligently, and applied relentless defensive pressure. Odisha fought bravely, but Bihar’s composure and superior execution told the story as the champions ran out convincing winners to secure their second successive Boys’ U15 title.
Beyond the team results, individual brilliance also shone through over the course of the championship. Maharashtra’s Atharv Vilas Indulkar emerged as the top scorer of the tournament with an outstanding 91 points, a tally that included 15 tries and eight conversions. Rajasthan’s Priyanshu Mishra and Anuj Kumar followed closely behind with 79 and 71 points respectively, highlighting the attacking quality on display across the competition.
The Boys’ tournament formed part of a much larger Sub-Junior Nationals showcase hosted at the Kalinga Stadium, which featured participation from 24 states and over 550 Under-15 athletes. More than 100 team officials and 30 national technical officials ensured smooth conduct of the event, with 68 matches played each in the boys’ and girls’ categories. Over 110 individual scorers across the two days underlined the growing depth, confidence, and attacking flair in India’s youth rugby ecosystem.
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The successful staging of the 10th Sub-Junior National Rugby Sevens Championship was made possible by the Government of Odisha in association with Rugby India and the Odisha Rugby Football Association. Once again, Kalinga Stadium provided world-class infrastructure and professional operations, reinforcing Bhubaneswar’s reputation as one of the country’s premier sporting hubs.
With the Girls’ U15 competition already completed and the Boys’ championship now concluded, attention will soon turn to the ASMITA National Rugby League, which will also be hosted at the Kalinga Stadium on January 31 and February 1. Featuring the top eight female teams from the senior, junior, and sub-junior categories, the upcoming league promises to continue the momentum generated by this vibrant showcase of Indian rugby’s future.
