Hope that rugby can become top-five sport in the country: RI president Bose

Franchise-based leagues have become a trend in India for the last few years or so. The latest to join the bandwagon is the Rugby Premier League (RPL), which will be held in rugby sevens format. A seven-a-side rugby is a shorter, thrill-evoking version of union rugby and is played across the globe. The inaugural edition of the RPL, which will feature six franchises based out of Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Bhubaneswar and Delhi, is set to kickstart on June 15 with the final set to be held on June 29.

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All the 34 matches will take place at the Andheri Sports Complex in Mumbai. With the event knocking on the door, the excitement is palpable among players, coaches and the officials. Rahul Bose, president of Rugby India, is one among them. In a freewheeling chat with the New Indian Express on the sidelines of the Kalinga Black Tigers jersey launch event, Bose spoke about the league's vision and long-term ambitions, on sport's potential growth and more. Excerpts: