India and New Zealand celebrated 100 years of sporting relationships by launching a collaborative grassroots Rugby Coaching programme
The milestone initiative focuses on developing elite rugby coaching infrastructure and talent identification
The historic partnership expands the bilateral athletic bond well past traditional sports to foster long-term rugby development in India
As part of a Memorandum of Cooperation and to celebrate 100 years of India-New Zealand sporting ties, the national rugby federations of the two countries will collaborate for a two-day high-performance coaching program at the Kalinga Stadium at Bhubaneswar beginning Thursday.
The joint initiative by Rugby India and New Zealand Rugby will bring together selected coaches from across India, segregated into Foundation, Development, and High-Performance categories.
"The programme will combine classroom sessions, on-field practical demonstrations, and interactive workshops delivered by expert educators from New Zealand Rugby," stated a media release.
Speaking on the partnership, Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said the initiative reflects shared commitment to capacity building and knowledge exchange in sport.
"As we mark 100 years of sporting cooperation between India and New Zealand in 2026, such partnerships carry added importance. We are grateful to the Government of New Zealand and commend the efforts of the Indian Rugby Football Union and New Zealand Rugby in bringing this collaboration to fruition," he said.
Echoing the sentiments, New Zealand's Minister for Sport and Recreation Mark Mitchell, said: "Programmes like this show the value of the sports cooperation agreement between our two countries." Rugby India head Rahul Bose also highlighted the importance of the program for the development of the sport.
"This collaboration not only strengthens our technical capabilities but also reinforces the long-standing relationship between the two nations."
