KATHMANDU: At the recently concluded Asia Rugby Sevens held here, India's U-18 girls' team took home the silver medal after losing to UAE 26-5 in the championship match.
UAE is the only team to have defeated India after registering convincing victories over Malaysia, Thailand, and Nepal in earlier stages. This matches their previous best performance, when they took home the silver medal at the 2021 competition.
"The past year has been satisfying and fruitful for Rugby India. We now have silver in the under-18s at the end of 2021, silver in the under-20s this year in Uzbekistan, and silver in the women's this year in Jakarta, making it four silvers in a row "said Rugby India's president Rahul Bose.
"For the ladies to climb to the top rung of the future ladder, there is a clear three-tiered framework. The U18 boys' fourth-place finish matches that of the U20 boys' fourth-place finish. It's a good beginning for them as they advance to the top 3. Despite the fact that we still have work to do in the men's division, this tournament is a great way to summarise our goals and objectives for the 21–22 season.
We can safely say, the mission accomplished, and lots of things to do in the future. Lastly, thank you to Nepal Rugby for hosting us with wonderful facilities and excellent warmth and hospitality and Asia Rugby for inviting India to participate".
In their first appearance in a competition of this calibre, the boys' team placed fourth. India just missed out on making it to the semifinals, as they were defeated 36-0 by UAE, setting up a bronze-medal showdown with Malaysia. Malaysia defeated India 36-5 to win the bronze medal match, knocking India off the podium but establishing Malaysia as a serious contender on the Asian stage.
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