Mumbai, June 27 (IANS) Chennai Bulls’ latest recruit, Gaurav Kumar, who came in as a replacement player, has wasted no time to make his presence felt, registering three conversions in their commanding 40-21 win against the Kalinga Black Tigers in the inaugural Rugby Premier League (RPL) at the Shahaji Raje Bhosle Kreeda Sankul (Andheri Sports Complex) on Thursday.

With that win, the Chennai Bulls wrapped up their league stage matches with six wins, currently placed second on the points table. After the win, Chennai Bulls’ hybrid Gaurav Kumar opened up on his initial experience at the RPL.

“There was a little pressure at the start. I used to think about how I would play alongside the players who have won medals in the Olympics, and what it would be to play with Olympian players for the first time. But when we played in the first match, we got used to it and it started feeling normal”, he said.

Sharing some insight into his journey and how he started playing rugby, Gaurav mentioned, “I was introduced to rugby at the age of 14, when I was in Patna. From there, I went to Odisha and had a lot of fun while playing there, which gave me more confidence. I represented Bihar for the first time and won my first medal in the U-18 category. From there, my interest in the game kept growing, and I became a senior player in the Bihar team.”

His never-say-die attitude also helped him make the India camp on multiple occasions, before finally representing his country in the Asian Championship in 2022. He shared, “I made it to the Indian U-17 camp, but didn’t get selected. Even though I was very upset about it, I didn’t give up. I made it to the Indian Rugby 15s team in 2022, playing in the Asian Championship third division, where I was the top scorer.”

Currently the head coach of the Bihar rugby team, Gaurav bagged his first coaching stint when he was 19, taking charge of the Bihar U-18s team. Having trained players from Bihar, he also explained how the RPL will have an impact on rugby in India.

“The league will have a huge impact on the young Indian players. Rugby is famous in some regions, and the league is going to make it even more famous because a lot of Indians are watching the league and also want to be part of the league. The players are very excited to play in the league and they are preparing for it,” he added.

Highlighting the learnings he has adopted from his time with the Chennai Bulls so far, Gaurav said, “The most important thing is to trust your teammates, let them do what they do, and talk to them when they make a mistake. I learnt that there is no pressure, you have to enjoy the game. The most important thing is to be brave. The coach and marquee players, they tell us to keep being brave and playing. If we make a mistake, they will help us correct it. That is the best thing about the team. They are very caring and always encourage us, even when we make a mistake.”

Without giving too much away, Gaurav also shared the Chennai Bulls’ thought process going into the playoffs on Sunday. “Our team is focusing on the playoffs now. There are opportunities because some players who have performed get a chance to rest, so that they can participate in the semi-finals and finals. We are fully prepared for that challenge. The coach has his strategy, but that’s a secret,” he concluded.

–IANS

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