12 teams for South Asia Rugby Meet

Kolkata, Sep 15 (UNI) Twelve teams from across the country will take part in the All India and South Asia Rugby Tournament, a premier rugby championship, to be played here at the Calcutta Cricket and Football Club (CC&FC) from September 16.

The participating teams in the tournament are Army Rugby Team, Bangalore RFA, Bombay Gymkhana, Chennai Cheetahs, Delhi A, Delhi Hurricanes, Future Hope, Kolkata Police, La Martiniere Old Boys, Maharashtra State Police, Tamil Nadu Police and Calcutta Cricket&Football Club.

With participants from across the country, the tournament is jointly organized by Hutch, Bengal Rugby Union and Indian Rugby and Football Union.

Speaking on the occasion, Sridhar Rao, CEO, Hutch East said, ''Rugby is a relatively new sport in India. But for those who know it, it is a very exciting and aggressive game. Hutch is proud of its association with the sport and committed to the overall development and promotion of rugby in India.'' ''Over the last two years, Hutch has been associated with Rugby in India through its partnership with the Indian Rugby Union, the apex body for the promotion of Rugby in India. We do hope that the people of this city, which is home to football, will enjoy this wonderful variant with the same amount of enthusiasm,'' he said.

Matches will be played at the Calcutta Cricket and Football Club (CC&FC) grounds as well as the Police Grounds at the Bodyguard Lines.

Commenting on the tournament, Noomi Mehta, Indian Rugby and Football Union said, ''We are proud to organize the tournament in Kolkata and delighted with the responsibility entrusted upon us by Hutch and All India and South Asia Rugby Tournament Authority. For long Rugby has been an elitist sport. However, like any other sport that is played in the country today, rugby is an ideal mass market sport that can sweep across all levels of society.'' UNI BA KK DH PC1931