The Hyderabad Heroes have won the HSBC Rugby Premier League for the first time after beating the Mumbai Dreamers 41-17 in the 2026 Grand Final at Gachibowli Stadium.
The Heroes finished off an outstanding season with a dominant performance in the final. They attacked well, defended strongly, and were too good for the Dreamers as they lifted the Season 2 trophy in front of their home fans.
Captained by Spain’s Manuel Moreno and coached by New Zealand rugby sevens legend DJ Forbes, Hyderabad went into the finals as one of the competition’s strongest teams. They booked their place in the Grand Final after a hard-fought 29-24 win over defending champions Chennai Bulls in the semi-finals.
Hyderabad carried that momentum into the final and were clearly the better team. Their speed, teamwork and skill proved too much for the Dreamers as they cruised to a 24-point victory to win the club’s first Rugby Premier League title.
Two Samoan internationals played a key role in the Hyderabad Heroes’ title-winning campaign. Saleimoa Rugby’s Taitaifono Senio Tavita and Marist St Joseph’s Ravuama Seruvakula.
Tavita was a try-scoring machine for the Heroes, using his blistering speed and outstanding finishing ability to become one of the team’s biggest attacking threats throughout the tournament.
Seruvakula provided valuable impact at halfback, playing behind Australian star Maurice Longbottom and taking every opportunity to learn from one of the world’s best sevens playmakers. When given his chance, Seruvakula made the most of it, setting up tries and crossing the line himself with several impressive performances.
Head coach DJ Forbes praised the influence of the two Samoans, saying they helped shape the team’s culture from day one. In a post on social media, Forbes credited Tavita and Seruvakula for bringing their Samoan flair, energy and leadership to the squad, helping create the environment that led Hyderabad to its first Rugby Premier League title
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