Rugby
India Senior Women’s Rugby team finish 6th at ARESS in Hangzhou
Their campaign ended with a narrow 10-17 loss to Kazakhstan in the fifth-place playoff.
India’s women’s rugby sevens side finished sixth place in their first Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series outing (photo credit: Rugby India)
India’s Senior Women’s Rugby Sevens team delivered a promising performance at the Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series (ARESS) 2025, finishing sixth in the opening leg held in Hangzhou, China, on Sunday.
Entering the tournament as the 10th seed, the Indian side showcased composure and growing quality to climb four places in the final standings.
The team posted notable wins over the Philippines (24-5) and the United Arab Emirates (19-12), underlining their ability to compete under pressure. Their campaign ended with a narrow 10-17 loss to Kazakhstan in the fifth-place playoff, a result that highlighted their competitiveness on Asia’s premier sevens stage.
Captain Shikha Yadav led a balanced squad that combined experienced players with fresh talent, reflecting the expanding depth of Indian women’s rugby. Sandhyarani Tudu emerged as the standout performer, finishing as India’s top scorer with four tries and two conversions.
Head coach Paul Delport praised the team’s rapid progress, saying the move from a 10th seed to a sixth-place finish “shows how much belief and determination this group has.” Indian Rugby Football Union president Rahul Bose called the performance “a clear statement about the quality and potential of Indian women’s rugby,” adding that the result sets a positive tone ahead of the second leg.
India will next compete in the second and final leg of ARESS 2025 in Colombo on October 18–19, where cumulative points from both legs will determine the overall standings.
Results Summary – ARESS 2025 Leg 1 (Hangzhou)
India 0–29 Hong Kong China
India 0–27 Thailand
India 24–5 Philippines
India 19–12 UAE
India 10–17 Kazakhstan
