Argentinian SVNS stars embrace India’s trailblazing RPL launch

International rugby sevens players are in India, having joined the trailblazing Rugby Premier League as the game hopes to receive a huge boost in the most populated country in the world.

The soon-to-start professional sevens league was founded in 2024 and will finally take the field for the first time in a newly devised format poised to attract more fans both at the Mumbai Football Arena and through television.

With 1.435 billion, there is a huge potential for a fan base and Rugby Premier League has followed the superb work done by the IPL.

With six teams representing different cities in the country, playing 34 matches over fifteen days, some of the biggest names in the sevens world have joined these franchises, also incorporating local players and staff with the aim to help the game in India to rise to full international standard.

The RPL vision is clear; top of the agenda is to make rugby one of the five top-of-mind sports for India’s youth to play. With the game played in less than of half the country’s 760 districts, getting rugby noticed will be crucial and even the new format ensures the hard task ahead is doable.

Joaquín Pellandini, a key cog in the Argentina 7s side that won the 2025 HSBC SVNS Series league title, has joined the Chennai Bulls. Under coach Ben Gollings, the former England captain and Fiji coach, he has multiple goals for the month ahead.

“India is far away from our rugby destinations, so when the invitation came, I thought it’d be a good opportunity to not only visit the country I didn’t have on my bucket list, understand its culture, but also learn from players I’ve played against over the years.”

Pellandini will be one of the leaders of a team that includes Fijian duo Filipe Sauturaga and Joseva Talacolo and Irish star Terry Kennedy, fresh from the news that sevens is no longer in his country’s agenda.

The international players at the Bulls were summoned a few days earlier than most other teams as they were flown to Chennai, formerly Madras, on the Bay of Bengal, to work on team bonding and getting the overseas players imbued on what the city is and what it means to fly their colours.

“The goal is to have a team with an identity and that was the plan behind the visit,” said Pellandini.

Coming from a strong team environment, this will be high on his personal agenda, as well as getting to know new people.

“See how they train, their cultures, who they are will be great because when you are on the SVNS Series there is no time to get to know them. Maybe you can catch a quick chat, but nothing more.”

“I believe it will open my head, and I hope to add new skills to my game.”

Pumas 7s teammate Matteo Graziano believes, as does Pellandini, that being trailblazers will be great.

“I am convinced that it will be a very good month of rugby and growth,” says the former double Olympian – he won a gold medal in the 2018 Youth Olympics and played in Paris 2024 – who will play for the Delhi Redz.

Getting to know his teammates and Tomasi Cama, the former NZ star and coach, will be an experience to cherish.

“It will be about establishing relationships with teammates and staff; having a good team environment is conducive to success.”

Born in Fiji and son of a former seven stars for his country, coach Cama will “give me a new way of preparing for sevens. He was an incredible player and, being originally from Fiji, I imagine he will have a relaxed attitude.”

Having arrived at the start of the week, via Frankfurt as did his fellow countrymen, before flying out, he didn’t have much knowledge of what to expect outside of the game.

“I did some research and ChatGPT gave me an itinerary for whenever we have some time off; we will be based in Mumbai for the duration of the tournament and hopefully we’ll get to see, feel and understand the city and the country.”

Lautaro Bazán Vélez returned to sevens after stepping out of the game to play XVs. Having played for Argentina in RWC 2023, he decided to return to the shortened version of the game.

“It was a very tough decision, probably the toughest I took as I had to give up playing for Los Pumas. But I had to think on what was best for me.”

Having decided on the return, Santiago Gómez Cora gave him an opportunity, and his comeback was in Los Angeles.

“When the opportunity came to join the RPL, I took it with both hands as it will help me to get my sevens rhythm back.”

Playing for his former opponent DJ Forbes for the Hyberabad Heroes is also important for Bazán Vélez. “It will be great to learn from him as a coach.”

One of the big challenges most international players will have to face is the weather. “Heat, humidity, rain. We’ve played in warm places, but Mumbai promises to be different.”

Also, the format will be different.

The innovative RPL will be played over fifteen nights, two games a night and each game will be played in four quarters of four minutes each.

“It will be good fun, something new. I remember playing Rugby X in London in 2019 and that was also new.”

“Change is good,” says Bazán Vélez.

Graziano adds: “It might help us not being as tired as with normal sevens.”

“I also think that it might interfere with a team’s rhythm and in a tournament, with two or three games per day, you slowly get into your game. It might not happen here. We’ll see. It will be an interesting learning curve.”

In a similar way, Pellandini is unsure what to expect. “Four minutes is three plays and a break. And that three more times.”

“We’ll have to see. And learn in the process.”