Speedster Patrick Odongo joins star studded squad for inaugural Rugby Premier League
Reading Time: 3min | Fri. 11.04.25. | 08:57
His selection comes as part of the elite pool of 30 marquee international players for the tournament, which is being billed as a seismic shift in how sevens rugby is played and commercialized
Kenya Sevens ace Patrick Odongo is set to make his debut on the global franchise stage as he joins Delhi Redz for the highly anticipated inaugural edition of the Rugby Premier League (RPL).
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The RPL is the world’s first franchise-based rugby sevens competition, which will kick off from Sunday, 1 to Sunday, 15 June at the Mumbai Football Arena in India.
The 22-year-old Daystar Falcons speedster, who played a pivotal role in helping Kenya qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics and regain core status in the HSBC SVNS Series, will now rub shoulders with some of the biggest names in the sport.
His selection comes as part of the elite pool of 30 marquee international players for the tournament, which is being billed as a seismic shift in how sevens rugby is played and commercialized.
World Rugby supports it, and it will take place in a specially sanctioned window on the global calendar.
Odongo joins a star-studded Redz lineup that includes some of the sport’s most decorated stars.
Some of the names include MatÃas Osadczuk of Argentina, an Olympic bronze medalist who powered the South Americans to gold at the HSBC SVNS Vancouver 2024, scoring a hat trick in the final.
He was also named Player of the Final in Cape Town and featured in the Vancouver Dream Team for his outstanding performances.
Osadczuk is joined by fellow countryman Matteo Graziano, who has proven to be a rising star from the South American rugby powerhouse.
Alejandro Laforga from Spain is also on the list. He is a dynamic scrum-half who will add agility and sharp decision-making to the side. Laforga has earned caps for the Spanish national sevens team.
The squad also includes Jordan Conroy from Ireland. He is a fan favorite known for his explosive pace. Conroy was the 2016-17 Connacht Club Player of the Year and made a name for himself with the Connacht Eagles in the British and Irish Cup.
Thomas Richards (Canada), Michael Coverdale (Hong Kong), and Moritz Noll (Germany) further add to the team’s international flair.
Representing the host country are Indian stars Rajdeep Saha, Deepak Punia, Mohit, Sunil Chawan, and Raj Kumar, who are eager to test themselves against some of the best in the game and raise the profile of Indian rugby.
The Delhi Redz will be under the tutelage of legendary New Zealand coach Tomasi Cama. Cama is one of the most revered figures in the history of sevens.
He won gold at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens and is the All Blacks Sevens’ all-time leading point scorer.
In 2012, he was named World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year. After starting his coaching journey in 2015, he rose through the ranks to become head coach of the All-Blacks Sevens in 2024. His wealth of experience is expected to be a game-changer for the Redz.
