A Landmark Moment for Indian Women Rugby
In what is set to be a transformative milestone, the Indian Senior Women’s Rugby 7s Team is poised to make its debut in the Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series 2025 Asia’s premier division of rugby sevens. This historic first appearance not only signals India’s arrival at the highest regional level but also reflects years of patient, structured growth and dedication to women’s rugby.
India’s inclusion in the top-tier division coincides with Asia Rugby’s strategic expansion of the series from eight to twelve teams. This expansion isn’t just about filling slots; it’s about nurturing emerging rugby nations and rewarding consistent progress. For India, this opportunity is the result of determined performances at the Asia Rugby Sevens Trophy—the competition that serves as the second tier. Finishing as runners-up in both 2023 and 2024 editions, the team proved they were ready to step up.
The upcoming series will unfold over two legs:
- First leg: September 20-21, 2025, at Hangzhou Normal University in China
- Second leg: October 18-19, 2025, at Colombo’s historic Racecourse Stadium in Sri Lanka
For the Indian team, this isn’t just about taking part; it’s about becoming part of Asia’s rugby elite, competing against powerhouses like Japan, China, and Hong Kong China. It’s about testing themselves, gaining experience, and growing on a stage where they can truly measure their progress.
Building Blocks: Preparation, Talent, and Vision
Behind this historic entry is a carefully planned journey shaped by Rugby India’s investment in coaching, talent identification, and domestic development.
In a move that drew attention across the rugby world, Rugby India appointed the legendary Waisale Serevi as head coach for the national men’s and women’s sevens teams in June 2024. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in rugby sevens history, Serevi’s task is not only to sharpen on-field performance but also to build awareness and inspire a new generation of players.
Leadership on the field is equally critical. The women’s team will be captained by Shikha Yadav, a player known for her composure and drive. Together, the guidance of Serevi and Shikha’s leadership create a balanced mix of experience and ambition.
The Indian Rugby Football Union (IRFU) has also set up rigorous national camps to prepare the team:
- A pre-season camp in May 2025 at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Regional Centre in Kolkata helped identify talent from domestic competitions.
- The main preparation camp, from August to mid-September, will serve as the final build-up to the team’s historic debut.
Selection reflects the depth of talent emerging from India’s growing rugby ecosystem. Players identified from performances at the 38th National Games 2025 and the Senior National Women’s Championship joined established names from the Asia Rugby Sevens Trophy 2024 squad, creating a blend of proven performers and rising stars.
Importantly, Rugby India’s approach is long-term. Beyond this single series, the focus is on sustainable growth. Initiatives like the Rugby Premier League (RPL) a franchise-based sevens league with a decade-long backing aim to bring more talent into the system, offer players international exposure, and bridge the gap between grassroots and elite rugby.
Pathway to Global Rugby and Olympic Dreams
The stakes for the Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series 2025 go well beyond regional glory. The competition now serves as a direct qualification route to the World Rugby HSBC SVNS Division 3 formerly known as the Sevens Challenger Series. This is the first step on a global pathway that could eventually lead teams to the HSBC World Rugby SVNS (top tier) and even the Olympic Games, with Los Angeles 2028 firmly in sight.
For the Indian team, performing well could mean more than medals it could mean entry into world rugby’s structured competitive ladder. The opportunity to play against international teams and qualify for higher divisions offers players invaluable experience, helps attract sponsorship, and validates years of effort.
The broader picture shows Indian rugby aligning with World Rugby’s goal of global growth, making the nation not just participants, but genuine contenders in the sport’s future.
Beyond the Numbers: Inspiration and Legacy
India’s journey to this point is rooted in consistent performances: back-to-back runner-up finishes in the Asia Rugby Sevens Trophy 2023 and 2024. But it’s also about a vision for the future.
Rugby India’s investment in a dedicated High-Performance Centre, professional coaching, and treating players as semi-professionals marks a shift from seeing rugby as an amateur pursuit to recognizing it as a serious, professional sport.
This strategy isn’t only about today’s team. It’s about creating a pathway that inspires young players across India. By seeing a clear road from domestic leagues to the Asia Rugby Series and then to global competitions, aspiring athletes can dream bigger and work harder. That cycle of inspiration and investment is what transforms a sport’s future.
When the Indian Women’s Rugby 7s team steps onto the field in Hangzhou this September, it will be much more than a debut. It will symbolize years of effort by players, coaches, administrators, and supporters who believed in the dream of Indian rugby.
It will mark India’s arrival among Asia’s best, backed by a strategy that combines grassroots growth, elite preparation, and international ambition. And it will serve as a reminder that with dedication, planning, and vision, even sports with small followings can reach big stages.
The Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series 2025 isn’t just the next competition on the calendar. For Indian women’s rugby, it’s a chance to inspire a nation, challenge the continent’s best, and start a new chapter in Indian sporting history.
