India’s U20 Women’s rugby team celebrated a successful return to the Asia Rugby Emirates Rugby 7s U20 Championship, earning a spot in the semi-finals. The U20 Men’s team also made history with their first-ever win against UAE in the tournament. The women’s team, under the guidance of coach Kiano Fourie and captained by Bhumika Shukla, opened with a hard-fought 17-10 victory over Kazakhstan, with Guriya Kumari, Anshu Kumari, and Alpana Kumari scoring. They followed this with a convincing 31-7 win against UAE, where Bhumika scored two tries and Tanushree Bhosale, Muskan Piploda, and Anshu each contributed a try, guaranteeing a semi-final berth before the final pool match against Hong Kong China. In the men’s competition, Paco Hernandez’s team secured a landmark 24-17 win over UAE, marking India’s first victory at the U20 level. Charan Hembram, Goldan Kumar, and David Munda scored tries, with David’s late try securing the win despite UAE’s efforts. Despite a strong effort, the men’s team were defeated by both Sri Lanka and Hong Kong China. Sri Lanka and Hong Kong China led Pool A, while China and Malaysia topped Pool B. The Indian U20 Women will compete in the semi-finals, while the men’s team will play Kazakhstan to conclude their campaign.
