Hyderabad Heroes secured a 29-24 victory over Chennai Bulls in the semi-finals of the Rugby Premier League (RPL) Season 2, played at Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad on Saturday. The win sets up a title clash against Mumbai Dreamers.
Victory and Reactions
Captain Manuel Moreno expressed his satisfaction after the win, stating, "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."
Head Coach DJ Forbes commented, "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."
Match Highlights
Hyderabad 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 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.
Chennai Bulls fought back, but Hyderabad refused to back down. Captain Manuel Moreno led 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. Diego Ardao controlled the ball expertly in the final moments to seal a hard-fought victory.
Looking Ahead
With the semi-final win, Hyderabad Heroes advance to the final where they will face Mumbai Dreamers. The title match promises to be a thrilling encounter as both teams vie for the Rugby Premier League Season 2 championship.
