Kenya Sevens trio among new faces in 2026 Rugby Premier League

Kenya’s footprint in the fast-growing Rugby Premier League (RPL) is set to expand, with three Kenya Sevens players, Nygel Amaitsa, Samuel Asati, and John Okoth, named among the new faces for the 2026 season.

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The trio will all feature for the Delhi Redz, where they will link up with fellow Kenyan speedster Patrick Odongo, who has been retained after an impressive outing in the inaugural 2025 campaign.

Their arrival strengthens the Redz’ squad as they look to go one better after finishing as runners-up last year.

Kevin Wekesa retained ahead of 2026 India's Rugby Premier League

Also returning for the second edition is Kenya Sevens forward Kevin Wekesa, who will once again turn out for the Hyderabad Heroes.

Wekesa was a key figure in the Heroes’ campaign in 2025, helping them secure a third-place finish after a 17–12 victory over the Bengaluru Bravehearts in the playoff.

The 2025 edition marked a historic milestone as the world’s first franchise-based rugby sevens league, staged at the Mumbai Football Arena in India.

Featuring top stars from the HSBC SVNS Series, the tournament introduced a fresh, fast-paced format to boost rugby’s global appeal.

In that debut season, the Delhi Redz, coached by legendary New Zealand sevens icon Tomasi Cama, reached the final but suffered a heavy 41-0 defeat to the Chennai Bulls.

Odongo was one of the standout performers for the Redz, while Wekesa impressed under the guidance of DJ Forbes at the Hyderabad Heroes.

Season two is scheduled for Tuesday, 16 to Sunday, 28 June at the Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad, with organisers promising a similar high-octane spectacle.

The league will once again feature six franchises and maintain its blend of international stars and emerging Indian talent.

In a major step forward, the 2026 edition will also introduce a women’s competition, with four of the six existing franchises- Chennai Bulls, Delhi Redz, Mumbai Dreamers, and Kolkata Banga Tigers set to field women’s teams.

Rahul Bose, President of Rugby India, hailed the development as a significant milestone for the sport.

“It has always been our dream at Rugby India to have an RPL Women’s edition. This year, that dream comes to life. Women’s 7s rugby across the world is just as exciting as men’s 7s rugby, and our Indian women are superb,” he said.

The league continues to draw representation from major Indian cities, with franchises based in Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Bhubaneswar.

The core men’s teams remain Bengaluru Bravehearts, Chennai Bulls, Delhi Redz, Hyderabad Heroes, Kalinga Black Tigers, and Mumbai Dreamers.