Indian rugby squad for CWG announced
Rugby India has announced the members of the national team that will see action in the rugby sevens tournament of the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.
Named to the squad were team captain Nasser Hussain, Amit Lochab, Rohaan Sethna, Hrishikesh Pendse, Gautam Dagar, Deepak Dagar, Sujai Lama, Surinder Singh, Thimmaiah Mandanda, Kayrus Unwala and Puneet Krishnamoorthy.
Rugby India vice-president Aga Hussain said the 12-man squad is the best that the country can offer.
"We are really looking forward to see our team taking on the best in the world. This squad of 12 has been picked based on their performance over the course of the last two years from around 30 core probables. The entire Indian Rugby family wishes them all
the best," he said.
Although their chances of pulling off an upset against some of the world's top rugby sevens team is slim, skipper Hussain is confident that they will not let their countrymen down.
"We have an amazing set of players in the squad who have been working really hard and we are all excited about playing against the big teams in rugby. Everyone in the team has been working really hard on skill and fitness so that we can give the top teams
good competition," he said.
India will participate in the rugby sevens competition for the first time since the sport became an official CWG sport in 1998.
Better known for their cricket programme, India is ranked only 75th out of 95 teams by the International Rugby Board. They are bracketed with reigning IRB World Cup Sevens champions Wales, South Africa and Tonga in Pool B. The group winner will advance to
the semi-finals.
The Commonwealth Games rugby sevens tournament will be held at the Delhi University ground on between October 11-12.
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