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Rugby Sevens — Step-by-Step Roadmap

Governed by World Rugby · Rugby India ·Last checked 17 Oct 2026

The whole Rugby Sevens journey, 0 to 100, in order: the four stages from a local club to the international level, who can start, the detailed route with trials and selection rules, what is open at every age, where to train, who pays, and the jobs and money after. Every step is taken from the same official sources as the main Rugby Sevens guide.

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01 Four stages, in order

Zero to podium — the four stages

  1. Stage 1 · Young Grassroots & local entry

    Learn passing, tackling and support play with a school, club or state team. No SAI NCOE or STC runs rugby. [10][4]

  2. Stage 2 · Under 18 State to national breakthrough

    Khelo India Youth Games medals (they count for central jobs) and the Junior National Rugby 7s — Bihar won both titles at the 2025 edition in Dehradun. [7][13][4]

  3. Stage 3 · Under 20 National camp & elite trials

    Asia Rugby U-20 Sevens — India's women won bronze at Rajgir, Bihar. [3]

  4. Stage 4 · Senior · LA28 International orbit

    Asia Rugby Sevens Trophy and the Asian Games; LA28 via the 2027 Asia regional championship (1 place) or the 8-team Final Olympic Repechage. [5][1]

Fuel, from stage 1: food first. Pair cereals with pulses about 3:1 — roti or rice with dal, chana or rajma; vegetarians add milk or curd, others eggs, fish or meat. ICMR-NIN says most athletes get enough protein from food and protein powders are unnecessary; NADA warns that no supplement is risk-free. [16][17]

02 Physical benchmarks & anti-doping

Eligibility and anti-doping

  • To play for India you must meet World Rugby Regulation 8; age limits follow World Rugby's player-welfare guidelines. [1]
  • Under the anti-doping code you must be available for testing and check every medicine against the Prohibited List; apply to NADA for a TUE if you need a banned medicine. [9]
03 Grassroots-to-elite pipeline

From the school field to the India team

The rugby ladder [7][13][4][3][5][1]

The rugby ladder
StepAgeWhat happens
1. School & clubYoungLearn passing, tackling and support play
2. Khelo India Youth GamesUnder 18National medals; count for central sports-quota jobs
3. Junior National Rugby 7sU18e.g. the 10th edition (2025) in Dehradun, where Bihar won both the boys' and girls' titles
4. Asia Rugby U-20 SevensU20India women won bronze at Rajgir
5. India senior teamSeniorAsia Rugby Sevens Trophy, Asian Games, LA28 regional qualifier
04 Every age group, child to masters

Rugby at every age — school club to the India sevens team

Rugby sevens in India runs through the Khelo India Youth Games (under 18), Junior Nationals (U18) and Asia Rugby U20 events. [7][4][3]

  1. Under 18years
    Youth

    KIYG and Junior National 7s

    E.g. the 10th Junior National Rugby 7s (2025, Dehradun). KIYG medals count for jobs. [4][7][13]

  2. Under 20years
    Junior

    Asia Rugby U20 Sevens

    India's women won bronze at Rajgir. [3]

  3. 18–28years
    Job window

    Sports-quota job window

    Railways sports quota takes ages 18–25 (on 1 Jan 2027, Western Railway 2026-27 notice). CRPF takes 18–23 (on 1 Aug 2026) plus 5 years for a sportsperson — up to 28 unreserved, 31 OBC, 33 SC/ST. Central Group C posts relax the upper age by up to 5 years (10 for SC/ST). [14][15][12]

  4. Senioryears
    Senior · open

    India senior team

    Asia Rugby Sevens Trophy, Asian Games and the LA28 regional qualifier. [5][6][1]

05 Training centres & cities

Where rugby players train

  • Rugby is not among the sports at SAI's National Centres of Excellence or SAI Training Centres. Players train with clubs, schools and state teams — Bihar and Odisha have been strong at junior level, and Bihar's Rajgir complex hosted the Asia Rugby U-20 Sevens. [10][4][3]
06 Equipment costs & who pays

A low-kit sport — and who pays

Who pays — rugby ladder [11]

Who pays — rugby ladder
StagePaid byWhat you get
Khelo India athleteMinistry of Youth Affairs & Sports₹6.28 lakh a year incl. ₹1.20 lakh cash
Athlete in hardshipPDU National Welfare FundUp to ₹2.50 lakh
07 Earning channels & central job quotas

Awards and sports-quota jobs

  • Rugby is one of the 65 sports in the central sports quota for Group C posts, with up to 5 years' age relaxation (10 for SC/ST).
  • Khelo India Youth Games medals count for central sports-quota jobs. [12][13]
08 Official sources & verification

Where this roadmap comes from

The sources cited on this page, numbered as on the main Rugby Sevens guide, read on 17 October 2026. Trials, age rules and scheme amounts change — open the current file before you act on it.

  1. World Rugby — Qualification System, LA28 Olympic Games: Rugby Sevens (version 12 May 2026; copy published by DOSB) (opens in a new tab) 12 teams per gender of 12, SVNS World Championship 2027, regional championships incl. Asia, repechage, Regulation 8, welfare guidelines · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  2. All India Radio News — Asia Rugby U-20 Sevens: China win women's title, Hong Kong men's, India women clinch bronze (opens in a new tab) India women's bronze; finals at Rajgir International Sports Complex, Bihar · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  3. All India Radio News — Bihar win U18 boys title at Junior National Rugby 7s 2025 (opens in a new tab) 10th Junior National Rugby 7s, Dehradun; Bihar won U18 boys and girls; tries and conversions · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  4. All India Radio News — Indian rugby teams set for Asia Rugby Sevens Trophy in Nepal (opens in a new tab) Men's and women's teams; captains Mohit Khatri and Shikha Yadav · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  5. Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games — Sports (opens in a new tab) Rugby at the 2026 Asian Games · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  6. Khelo India Youth Games 2025 (Bihar) — official site (opens in a new tab) Rugby among the 27 KIYG sports · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  7. NADA India — Athlete's Rights & Responsibilities (opens in a new tab) Testing availability, Prohibited List, TUE · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  8. SAI — Brief on Sports Promotional Schemes 2024-25 (opens in a new tab) NCOE and STC sport lists (rugby not included) · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  9. PIB — Financial Support to Athletes (5 Aug 2024) (opens in a new tab) Khelo India, welfare fund · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  10. DoPT — Instructions on Recruitment/Promotion for Sportspersons (18 Nov 2022) (opens in a new tab) Rugby in the 65-sport list, Group C · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  11. DoPT Office Memorandum, 4 March 2024 — Incentive for Sportspersons (opens in a new tab) Khelo India Games medallists added · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  12. Western Railway RRC — Employment Notice RRC/WR/01/2026 (Sports Quota), 27 Aug 2026 (opens in a new tab) Age 18–25 on 1 Jan 2027, level norms, no rugby posts, MoYAS-recognition rule, fees · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  13. CRPF — Recruitment of Meritorious Sportspersons, HC & Constable (GD), Sports Quota 2026 (Advt. R.II-21/2026-Sports, 17 Sep 2026) (opens in a new tab) Age and relaxation, qualifications, fee, bond; no rugby posts · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  14. ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition — Dietary Guidelines for Indians (booklet), Guideline 8 (opens in a new tab) Cereal-pulse 3:1 protein quality, vegetarian and non-vegetarian protein sources; most athletes meet protein needs from food, protein powders unnecessary · Last checked 19 Oct 2026
  15. NADA India — Managing the Risk of Nutritional Supplements (opens in a new tab) Supplement risk, strict liability, food-first approach · Last checked 15 Oct 2026
Back to the full Rugby Sevens guide

The rules and scoring, recognition, the traps to avoid and player doubts.

← Full Rugby Sevens guide