Indian Women’s Rugby Team leave for Asian Rugby Women Championship
After going through a rigorous National Training Camp and selection in Bhubaneswar, the Indian Women’s Rugby Team departed to take part in the Asian Rugby Women Championship in New Zealand. Odisha was the biggest contributor to the team with as many as seven players making the final cut.
Rugby India has announced the 26-member squad for the Indian Women’s Rugby XVs team who will represent India at the Asia Rugby Women’s Championship at Southern Plains Sports Field, Manila, Philippines from 17 th to 23 rd June 2019. The squad was part of a 15-day Indian National Training camp held in Bhubaneswar from 2 nd to 16 th June. The players shortlisted to join the camp were selected during the All India Division 1 and Division 2 tournaments which were held in Mumbai and Ludhiana respectively. The camps were supported by Rugby India, Department of Sports and Youth Services, Government of Odisha and KIIT.
This championship is one of the qualifier rounds for the 2021 Women’s Rugby World Cup to be held in New Zealand. The squad which played their international debut last year, will be led by captain Vahbiz Bharucha and face teams Singapore, Philippines and China. Extending his best wishes for the upcoming championship, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Sport and Youth Services, Government of Odisha, Vishal K Dev , said, “I congratulate the players on their selection to the national team and wish them the very best for their tournament. Their determination and relentless spirit is admirable and inspiring for other young women in sports disciplines. It is also a matter of great pride that seven players from Odisha have made it to the national team. It has been our constant endeavour to promote Rugby amongst young women and provide the best of infrastructure, training grounds and camps under the guidance of expert coaches and tailoring the programs to develop an individual players key skills. We are confident, post their specialised training in Bhubaneswar, the team will be better prepared and will demonstrate outstanding performance in Manila and bring laurels for our country.”
Speaking on the team’s preparedness, Chief Coach Ludwuiche Van Deventer, said, “I am proud of our players. In the last few days at the preparatory camp they underwent extensive strength and conditioning training and have demonstrated great passion and commitment to advance their skills and this tournament could be a great platform to showcase them.” The following 26 players are selected from across India to represent the nation at the Asia Rugby Womens’ Championship (Div I) in Philippines.
Squad : Vahbiz Bharucha(Maharashtra)- Captain, Neha Pardeshi (Maharashtra), Himani Dutt (Delhi), Ramneek Kaur (Punjab), Hupi Majhi (Odisha), Laxmipriya Sahu (Odisha), Meerarani Hembram (Odisha), Subhalaxmi Barik (Odisha), Sumitra Nayak (Odisha), Parbati Kisku (Odisha), Rajani Sabar (Odisha), Lachmi Oraon (West Bengal), Asha Oraon (West Bengal), Chanda Oraon (West Bengal), Sangeeta Bera (West Bengal), Sweety Kumari (Bihar), Sweta Shahi (Bihar), Sheetal Sharma (Delhi), Namita Bhoj (Delhi), Priya (Delhi), Neha (Delhi), Priya Bansal (Delhi), Jyoti Choudhary (Delhi), Gohar Ara (Delhi), Shikha Yadav (Delhi), Sultana (Delhi)
Head Coach- Ludwiche van Deventer (South Africa)
Coach- Naas Botha (South Africa)
Strength and Conditioning - Jannie Brooks (South Africa)
Manager- Rehmuddin Shaikh (Maharashtra)
Physio- Shabrez Mukaddam (Maharashtra)