Rajgir, April 22: In a thrilling finale of the 2026 Senior National Rugby Sevens Championship held in Rajgir, Bihar, Haryana emerged victorious, defeating Maharashtra 17-12 to claim the men’s title. This marks a remarkable comeback for Haryana, who finished as runners-up last year.
The final match, hosted at the State Sports Complex in Rajgir, showcased exceptional talent from both teams. Haryana capitalized on critical moments to secure their victory. Neeraj Khatri of Haryana opened the scoring, giving his team an early lead. Maharashtra’s Sunil Chavan quickly responded with a try, leveling the score. However, Haryana’s Mohit Khatri regained the lead for his team.
A pivotal moment came when Ajay Deswal scored a crucial try, followed by a successful conversion by Deepak Kumar Puniya, extending Haryana’s advantage. Maharashtra fought back with a try from Prashant Singh and a conversion by Shridhar Nigaade, narrowing the gap. Yet, in the final moments, Haryana maintained their composure, sealing the match at 17-12.
In the bronze medal match, West Bengal defeated Rajasthan 26-5, showcasing a balanced performance throughout the tournament. The knockout stages began with intense competition, leading to semi-finals where Maharashtra triumphed over West Bengal 36-5, while Haryana dominated Rajasthan 38-0 to secure their place in the final.
Individually, Rajasthan’s Rajan Rawat topped the scoring charts with 76 points, followed by Maharashtra’s Shridhar Nigaade with 59 points and West Bengal’s Karan Rajbhar with 55 points. Rahul Bose, President of Rugby India, praised the tournament, highlighting the growing popularity and standard of rugby in India, and congratulated all players for their outstanding performances.
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