In Rugby, Bihar claimed the U18 Boys’ title at the 10th Junior National Rugby 7s Championship 2025, defeating defending champions Odisha 17-15 in a thrilling final at Maharana Pratap Sports College in Dehradun yesterday.
This win completed a double for Bihar, who also won the U18 Girls’ title earlier in the week – repeating their 2022 golden sweep.
The final saw Bihar take an early lead through Goldan Kumar’s try and conversion. Odisha fought back with tries from Mantu Tudu, Subash Hansdah, and Eswar Pujari. But Bihar’s Sunny Kumar narrowed the gap before Goldan sealed the victory with a last-minute winning try.
Bihar remained unbeaten throughout the tournament, with dominant wins over Chandigarh, Haryana, Punjab, West Bengal, and Maharashtra.
In the third-place match, Maharashtra edged out Delhi with a golden try from Saurabh Sanjay Rajput after a closely contested game. Delhi, finishing fourth, showed strong improvement from their 7th-place finish in 2024.
Indian Rugby President Rahul Bose praised the talent on display, calling the Junior Nationals a key platform for future senior team prospects.
The top four teams, Bihar, Odisha, Maharashtra, and Delhi, matched the rankings from the Khelo India Youth Games 2025, highlighting their continued dominance in junior rugby.
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