PANAJI
The third edition of the GOA 7s International Rugby Festival will be held at the SAG Ground in Benaulim from October 30 to November 1, featuring 20 teams across the Men’s 7s, Women’s 7s and Mixed Touch categories.
The tournament, which began in Margao in 2024 as a two-day event, has expanded to three days, with 15 teams travelling from outside Goa. Around 50 Goan players and officials will also participate.
Three international clubs from Qatar, the United Kingdom and Sri Lanka will compete, alongside players from countries including New Zealand, Australia, the USA, South Africa, Spain, France, Japan, Nepal, Papua New Guinea and Russia.
“This is our biggest edition yet, with more teams, more matches and a stronger international presence. We expect the competition to be our most challenging yet due to a higher number of international teams and players in the mix. We are also organising various Educational Workshops for School Students, Physical Education Teachers and Match Officials, which will help strengthen the workforce to develop Rugby India,” said Brandan Crasto, founder of Goa 7s and president of the Crocs Rugby Foundation.
The Men’s 7s competition will feature eight teams, including Crocs RF, BIRD Rugby, Puffins RC, Golden Jackals and Calicut Titans. Four teams will contest the Women’s 7s, while eight sides will compete in Mixed Touch.
Established to help revive rugby in Goa following the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the tournament aims to give local players exposure to domestic and international opposition. Goa has participated in national-level rugby tournaments annually since 2014-15. Crocs RF won the men’s title last season, beating Delhi Hurricanes 15-10 in the final.
Supported by Goa Tourism and the Department of Art and Culture, the event also aims to promote sports tourism and support local businesses.
“Rugby sevens is an Olympic format whose speed and intensity make it exciting for both established fans and new audiences. Our long-term vision is to establish GOA 7s as one of the premier destinations in the HSBC 7s World Rugby Series, which will create greater opportunities for Goan & Indian players and officials to grow through this platform,” Crasto added.
