National Games 2025: Haryana wins fourth consecutive Gold in Men’s Rugby 7s

Haryana continued their dominance in Men’s Rugby 7s by securing their fourth straight gold medal at the National Games 2025. Playing at the Maharana Pratap Sports Complex in Dehradun on Friday, January 31, they defeated Maharashtra 22-7 in the final to retain their title.

Maharashtra put up a strong fight but had to settle for silver, while Odisha secured the bronze after defeating West Bengal in the third-place playoff.

Haryana remained unbeaten throughout the competition, winning all their Pool A matches against hosts Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, and Kerala. Their dominant form carried into the quarterfinals, where they easily overcame Bihar to set up a semifinal clash against West Bengal.

In the semifinals, Haryana displayed strong defense and attacking precision to register a commanding 24-0 victory. Captain Deepak Punia led the charge with two tries and two conversions, scoring 14 points. Prince added 10 points with two tries, ensuring a comfortable path to the final.

In the gold medal match, Haryana faced Maharashtra, a team they had already beaten 31-12 in the group stage. They controlled the game from the start and secured a 22-7 win to claim the National Games 2025 title.

Ajay led the scoring for Haryana in the final with two tries, collecting 10 points. Captain Deepak Punia added seven points with a try and a conversion, while Tilak contributed five points with a crucial try. Despite Maharashtra’s efforts, they could not match Haryana’s intensity.

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Odisha clinches gold in Women’s Rugby 7s at the National Games 2025

Meanwhile, in the women’s Rugby 7s final at the National Games 2025, Odisha secured the gold medal with a commanding 29-5 victory over Bihar. Sunita and Pushpanjali led the charge with 10 points each, while Dumuni contributed five. Sandhyarani and Parvati added two points each through conversions.

Maharashtra clinched the bronze medal after defeating Delhi 17-10 in the third-place match.