Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 13 (ANI): The excitement is palpable and reaching fever pitch as the countdown for the opening day of Season 1 of the Rugby Premier League is well and truly underway.

With less than a week to go, the six franchises are working hard to ensure they make the best pass forward. Some of the best names in the business have made touchdown in Mumbai, and will be looking to leave a long-lasting impression on Indian fans. The inaugural season of the Rugby Premier League represents a chance for India's best rugby players to quite literally rub shoulders with the legends of the sport. So let's look at the world's best players, who have made their way to India for the first-ever franchise-based Rugby Sevens tournament in the world, a release from the Rugby Premier League said.

-Akuila Rokolisoa - Bengaluru Bravehearts

Hailing from Fiji, Akuila Rokolisoa is part of the very well-known and celebrated All Blacks set-up (New Zealand), and is considered to be one of the key cogs in the wheel. The decorated athlete was also the Player of the Year in 2023 in the New Zealand Sevens' division and was a finalist for the World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year. Akuila Rokolisoa roll of honour has seen him win a Gold medal at the Rugby Sevens World Cup in San Francisco, 2018. Four years later, he finished as a Silver medallist with the All Blacks in the Rugby Sevens World Cup in Cape Town in 2022. And in the same year, Akuila Rokolisoa returned with a Bronze medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

Having made his debut for New Zealand in 2018, the 30-year-old, who has also won a Gold medal in the Commonwealth Games in 2018, is one of the biggest attacking threats in the sport. In 2023, Rokolisoa rewrote the history books, becoming just the sixth player in the history of the game to score more than 400 points in one season.

-Terry Kennedy - Chennai Bulls

The 28-year-old Irish man is considered possesses lightning footwork and speed and is one of the most dangerous playmakers on the World Rugby Sevens Series circuit. Terry, whose father also played rugby for Ireland, was the 2022 World Rugby Men's Sevens Player of the Year. The playmaker represented Ireland at the Paris Olympics, 2024, and helped his nation clinch a Bronze medal at the Rugby World Cup Sevens in Cape Town, 2022, and a Gold medal at the 2023 European Games

Terry is one of the 'originals' who were part of the inaugural Ireland squad that started at Europe's C Division in Bosnia in June 2015, and was also a XVs World Cup U20 finalist in 2016.

-Rosko Specman - Kalinga Black Tigers

The 36-year-old South African is one of the senior statesmen in the sport of rugby, and is a two-time Olympic medallist. Rosko Specman was part of the South African team to have won Bronze at the Olympics in both Rio and Paris. The winger has also won Bronze at the 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens in San Francisco. And more recently, he stood on the podium to pick up a Silver Medal at the Africa Men's Sevens in Mauritius, 2024.

One of the most loved athletes in the sport, Rosko Specman is well known for his ability to run at the opposition and his natural try scoring ability. Hailing from Makhanda in South Africa, Specman has been playing Rugby Sevens since 2014, and is one of the most experienced players in Season 1 of the RPL.

Manu Moreno - Hyderabad Heroes

A forward from Spain, the 26-year-old has had a taste of success in the early stages of his career. A European champion in 2021 and 2022, Manu will be one of the focal points of the Hyderabad Heroes' attack in Season 1 of the RPL.

A student of medicine outside of playing sport, Manu is noted for his role in Spain's attacking style, characterised by swerving runs and a fizzing passing game, and has been crucial in helping Spain maintain their status in the SVNS top tier. The Spanish forward was also selected among the 14 best rugby sevens players at the World Rugby Sevens Series in Toulouse in May 2023.

-Matteo Graziano - Delhi Redz

One of the younger players in RPL, Matteo Graziano is a 23-year-old Argentinian Hooker, who is known for his versatility on the field. Graziano has been part of Argentina's dynamic attack, and was an important part of the set-up that eventually secured their first SVNS circuit medal in Hamilton.

In January 2025, Argentina were able to retain the HSBC Perth 7s title after thrashing hosts Australia 41-5 in the final, where Matteo Graziano scored a hat-trick. The young man, who hails from a rugby family, was also a part of the Argentina squad at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Jerry Tuwai - Mumbai Dreamers

One of the absolute stalwarts of the game, Jerry Tuwai is the only rugby sevens player with two Olympic gold medals (2016 Rio and 2021 Tokyo). In fact, Jerry was part of the Fijian side that won a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics in and became the most decorated Olympian in Fiji's history.

In the World Rugby Sevens Series, Jerry has captained Fiji in the 2017-18 season and led them to the 2022 Singapore Sevens title, pulling the strings in their 28-17 final win over New Zealand. He recorded 34 clean breaks in the 2019 season, ranking fifth, and was nominated for World Sevens Player of the Year in 2017.

Jerry, who made his debut in 2014 for Fiji, was named the best rookie of the sevens circuit season by World Rugby. He was also named World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year in 2019.

Featuring 34 matches in its debut season, the Rugby Premier League begins on June 15 and will be played at the Brihanmumbai Kreeda Ani Lalitkala Prarthisthan Andheri Sports Complex (Mumbai Football Arena, MFA). (ANI)