Hyderabad Heroes demolish Mumbai Dreamers 41-17 to claim 2026 Rugby Premier League title

The Hyderabad Heroes are the 2026 Rugby Premier League champions after dismantling the Mumbai Dreamers 41-17 in the final at G. M. C. Balayogi Athletic Stadium in Hyderabad. The Delhi Redz completed a memorable fortnight for the tournament by winning the inaugural women’s competition, beating the Chennai Bulls 22-10.

Mumbai had looked the team to beat in the opening week, winning their first five matches behind Aussie 7s star James Turner, France 7s international Guillaume Bouche and Blitzboks Ryan Oosthuizen and Sebastiaan Jobb. A 22-all draw with the Kolkata Banga Tigers, however, gave Hyderabad the opening they needed. The hosts kept both Mumbai and Kolkata scoreless in their final two regular-season fixtures to top the ladder, then edged defending champions the Chennai Bulls 29-24 in a tense semi-final.

The final itself was tight through the first quarter before Hyderabad pulled clear. Local star Shivam Shukla and Samoan Taitaifono Tavita crossed for tries, with Aussie 7s veteran Maurice Longbottom capping a commanding half with a drop goal to send the Heroes into the break leading 15-0. Ethan Mcfarland replied for Mumbai early in the second half, but Uruguayan international Diego Ardao scored twice and Kenyan Kevin Wekesa added a third try in the third quarter to end the contest. Turner and local star Sukumar Hembrom managed late tries for the Dreamers, though both proved consolations. Tavita was instrumental throughout, setting up two tries in a standout individual display.

The women’s final was a closer affair. The Chennai Bulls had topped the regular season — surviving a 24-all draw with the Redz in the opening round and edging out the Dreamers and the Banga Tigers in tight finishes — but Delhi gathered momentum at the right time. After a 21-12 win over the Dreamers and back-to-back victories over the Banga Tigers in the regular season and qualifying final, the Redz arrived in the decider with confidence.

Fijian Lavena Cavuru opened the scoring for Delhi, before the Bulls hit back through local star Muskan Piploda and Kenyan international Sheilla Chajira to lead at the interval. The Redz then took control, with Fijian Silika Qalo, Canadian Eden Kilgour and Brazilian Isadora Lopes all crossing. Local star Shikha Yadav was central to the turnaround, setting up several tries as Delhi ran out 22-10 winners to claim the inaugural title.