Kalinga Black Tigers down Delhi Redz 19-15 to register first win of Rugby Premier League 2025

The Kalinga Black Tigers registered their first victory of the GMR Rugby Premier League 2025 with a hard-fought 19-15 win over Delhi Redz in Match 17 at the Shahaji Raje Kreeda Sankul (Andheri Sports Complex) on Saturday evening. It was not just a win on the scoreboard- it was redemption, as Kalinga had fallen to Delhi earlier in the season, and this result served as the perfect comeback.

The match had all the drama and intensity that has come to define the RPL, with both sides exchanging blows in a game that went right down to the wire. For Kalinga Black Tigers, it marked a vital turning point in what had been a challenging campaign.

Delhi Redz made an aggressive start to the match. In the first quarter, Patrick Odongo Okongo stormed past the Kalinga defence to score a well-executed try, giving Delhi an early 5-0 lead. The try came courtesy of a sharp assist from Deepak Punia, although Matias Osadczuk missed the conversion.

Kalinga hit back early in the second quarter. Asis Sabar crossed the line to register his team’s first try of the match, following a clean assist from skipper Harry McNulty. Lucas Lacamp couldn’t add the extras, and the scores remained level at 5-5.

Delhi reclaimed the lead soon after. Alejandro Laforga sprinted through a gap in the Kalinga line to register another five-pointer for his team, but just like earlier, Osadczuk missed the conversion. Delhi went into halftime with a narrow 10-5 lead, but the tide was about to turn.

Kalinga emerged in the third quarter with renewed energy. Lucas Lacamp, one of the most dynamic players in the RPL, gave his side the lead for the first time in the match. His try, assisted by Kyle Tremblay, was followed by a clean conversion to make it 12-10 in favour of Kalinga.

Moments later, the Black Tigers struck again. This time it was Tremblay who got on the scoreboard, capitalising on a slick offload from the dependable Perry Baker. Lacamp once again converted with ease. At the end of a dominant third quarter, Kalinga had racked up 14 unanswered points and surged ahead 19-10.

Delhi attempted a comeback in the final quarter. Jordan Conroy powered through for a try, assisted by Matteo Graziano, narrowing the deficit. But their woes with conversions continued—this time it was Laforga who missed. At 19-15, the pressure was on, but Kalinga's defence held strong.

The final minutes saw Delhi pushing relentlessly, but the Black Tigers denied any further scoring opportunities to close out a gritty and much-needed victory.

For Kalinga, Asis Sabar, Lucas Lacamp, and Kyle Tremblay were the try scorers, with Lacamp adding two crucial conversions. Assists came from Harry McNulty, Perry Baker, and Tremblay.

Lucas Lacamp, who was named Player of the Match for his all-round performance, credited the win to the team’s collective effort and composure. Speaking after the game, he said:

“It took some time, but we followed through this time. We stuck to the plan, kept the ball alive, and held it better.”

Reflecting on the team’s tough start to the tournament, he added:

“We were disappointed with yesterday, especially, but we’re taking Mike’s words in and slowly building, so onwards and upwards.”

Lacamp, who is experiencing Indian rugby for the first time, also highlighted the unique opportunity the RPL presents:

“It’s been great being here. It’s something we’ve never done before. A whole new culture, a whole new experience. Playing with some guys I probably wouldn’t have had the chance to play with before, and seeing them develop and grow has been a massive part of it. It’s great to see that we started slow, but the team is slowly gelling well.”

“I hope we make it to the top four and we’ll take it from there.”

With this victory, the Kalinga Black Tigers not only opened their account in the win column but also reignited their campaign with confidence.

They will now look to carry this momentum into their next fixture. Kalinga Black Tigers will next face Mumbai Dreamers on June 22.