Hyderabad Heroes set up title clash against Mumbai Dreamers at Rugby Premier League Season 2
Hyderabad, June 28
Hyderabad Heroes edge Chennai Bulls 29-24 in the semi-finals played at the Gachibowli Stadium, Hyderabad, on Saturday in the ongoing Rugby Premier League Season 2.
"It feels really good to clear the hurdle from last year. Full credit to our coach, DJ Forbes, and the entire squad for playing the brand of rugby that we set out to play right from day one. We go again tomorrow and give it our all as a team," said Manuel Moreno, Captain, Hyderabad Heroes, post-winning the semi-finals, as per a release.
"We were really tested in the semis, so I'm hoping the boys will be well prepared for everything that comes at them tomorrow. We definitely made it hard on ourselves, so if we can tidy up a few errors, we will definitely give ourselves a chance. Anything can happen, as was witnessed in both semis. There's not much separating the teams, but when we execute the basics and limit our errors, we can play some quality sevens. I'm excited for the boys, and they deserve to be in the final." Said DJ Forbes, Head Coach, Hyderabad Heroes
The Heroes made an electric start, shifting the ball swiftly across the field before Taitaifono Tavita crossed over within the opening minute. Chennai responded with greater physicality, attacking through the middle as Marika Koroibete powered over to edge the Bulls ahead.
Hyderabad, however, continued to exploit the width, with Tavita racing down the left wing for his second try before Maurice Longbottom's elusive running and quick link play created the opening for Ravuama Seruvakula to extend the lead.
Hyderabad refused to back down, with captain Manuel Moreno leading the comeback by cutting the deficit to just two points. The Heroes then displayed remarkable composure in the closing stages, patiently recycling possession until a gap emerged for Sambit Pradhan to race through for the decisive try, before Diego Ardao controlled the ball expertly in the final moments to seal a hard-fought victory.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Nice win but the final against Mumbai Dreamers will be a different beast. Need to cut down those errors coach mentioned. We can't afford to give Mumbai easy chances.
Captains like Manuel Moreno are exactly what we need to inspire our youth. Watching rugby at Gachibowli live is an amazing experience. Hope the crowd turns up in numbers for the final! 🙌
Sambit Pradhan's decisive try was brilliant! 🇮🇳 So proud to see Indian players stepping up in a league with international stars. The future of rugby in India looks bright.
Excellent semi-final performance. The way they came back after Chennai took the lead shows great character. DJ Forbes is doing amazing work with the team. Let's go Heroes! 💪
What a nail-biter! 😅 That final sequence with Tavita's early try and then the comeback - pure drama. Hyderabad's patience in attack was world-class. Final should be epic!
Great to see rugby getting this kind of attention in India. The standard of play in this league keeps improving every year. Will be watching the final from the US! 🤘
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