Rugby Premier League Season 2: Hyderabad Heroes retain Moreno, Wekesa; Sumit Kumar Roy returns

Hyderabad, May 14 Manu Moreno and Kevin Wekesa were retained by Hyderabad Heroes before the Rugby Premier League Season 2 auction, held in Hyderabad from June 16 to June 28, 2026. Sumit Kumar Roy became the highest bid Indian, going for 3.75 lakhs in a bidding war among three teams, ultimately joining Hyderabad Heroes, the team he played for last season.

Hyderabad Heroes executed a clear auction strategy, successfully re-acquiring three players they had released due to retention rules. Sambit Pradhan and Wolfram Hacker will return in blue and yellow for Season 2, led by Hall of Famer and head coach DJ Forbes.

“I played for the Hyderabad Heroes last season and will once again be competing for them this season to do better than the result we managed to achieve last year. The trust that the coach and management have shown in me to bring me back this season, along with the other players who will be once again with the HH, gives me immense confidence for the upcoming season. I am excited to be playing alongside our newest teammates and cannot wait to start our campaign,” said Sumit Kumar Roy of Hyderabad Heroes.

Having finished with a bronze medal in season 1, the Hyderabad Heroes remained undefeated during the league stages. The new squad aims to achieve even better results. The team features some of the top international rugby players, including legends from the All Blacks (New Zealand), as well as players from Spain, Australia, Kenya, Uruguay, Samoa, and India. This diverse roster creates a vibrant mix of talent from various nationalities, all competing in some of the best Rugby 7s.

“We were extremely happy with season 1, and our strategy was very clear that we wanted to make sure we could get back as many players as possible. DJ Forbes has very ably led the team last season, and now with the auction, we cannot wait to kick off our campaign for Season 2. We, at KLO Sports, just want to wish the team the best of luck for the upcoming season and will do everything in our power behind the scenes to give our team the right momentum on the field,” said Mr. Srinath Chitturi, Co-Owner, KLO Sports.

Final Squad:

Internationals: Manuel Moreno Asensi, Kevin Wekesa, Maurice Longbottom, Regan Ware, Francisco Cosculluela, Diego Ardao, Dante Sotonida, Ravuama Seruvakula, Wolfram Hacker.

Indians: Shivam Shukla, Sumit Kumar Roy, Muhammed Anes K, Sambit Pradhan, Rajan Rawat.

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