THE GOAN | Network
PANAJI The three-day championship which began on December 27 saw 13 States participating in the elite competition. Teams from Karnataka, Maharashtra, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Haryana, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Chandigarh and Madhya Pradesh boosted the championships with some excellent touch rugby skills. The event was organised by Federation of International Touch, Touch Rugby Federation of India and Chattisgarh Touch.
Goa touch rugby men’s team beat Chattisgarh 3-0 in the finals of the 10th All India National Touch Rugby Championships to win the gold while the State women's squad bagged the silver in Raipur, Chattisgarh on Thursday.
Goa men hammered reigning champions Haryana 7-1 in the semi-finals before outplaying hosts Chattisgarh in the summit clash. The Goa women’s team beat Delhi 3-1 in the semi-finals but missed out on a chance to grab the double crown for the State, going down to Chattisgarh 2-1 in the final.
Anish Quenim, President of Goa Rugby & Goa Touch, while acknowledging the performance of the State teams as excellent results, said the journey of the nascent sport has only begun in Goa. "It’s really a special feeling to finally get that label for all the efforts we have put in to develop this sport over the last three seasons. Our journey begins now,” Anish said.
The sport was introduced in Goa three years ago and already has over 5,000 players of all ages in over 100 schools, communities and clubs throughout the State. Belinda Trotter, a former Wales international who also was the manager of the team, coached Goa women. Coach David Trotter, a veteran rugby player involved in the game for the past 30 years, was responsible for the development of men's squad.
