Rugby veteran Rahul Bose’s connection with the sport wasn’t initially about creating history. It was about simply playing a game he loved. That passion, sustained and nurtured for over four decades, has now culminated in India’s most ambitious rugby venture yet – the Rugby Premier League (RPL). As the President of Rugby India, Bose is now working overtime to transform the sport in India through the RPL. A television product The RPL, debuting in 2025 with six city-based franchises, represents the world’s first franchise-based rugby 7s league. For Bose, who played on India’s first national rugby team in 1998, this moment has been years in the making. “Every team owner we’ve approached hasn’t heard about the Rugby Premier League or the best players in the world. They’ve heard the story of Indian rugby,” says Bose, in an exclusive interview with The Bridge. He tells us of how when he met with international players at Perth to talk about the league, he was met with apprehension. “They asked me four questions: When is it? Where is …