Odisha women lived up to their reputation as the No 1 state in rugby by winning the title in the All-India Rugby 15s Tournament with a 20-0 thumping win over Delhi in the lop-sided final at CCFC Ground in Kolkata today. International Hupi Majhi was the star performer for Odisha, registering six tries in the two-day tournament.

Led by international Bhagyalaxmi Barik, Odisha qualified for the final by winning both of their league matches in emphatic style. They beat Young Rugby Club and Jungle Crow 40-0 and 5-0 respectively. Altogether six women teams participated in this tournament.

But the Odisha men’s team came a cropper in the 83rd All-India & South Asia Men’s Rugby 15s Tournament, which was conducted simultaneously. They crashed out of the tournament, suffering defeats in both of their league games.

ODISHA TEAMS:

Women: Bhagyalaxmi Barik (Captain), Hupi Majhi, Rajani Sabar, Manjulata Pradhan, Sanjukta Munda, Meerarani Hembram, Saraswati Hansdha, Basanti Pangi, Chandamuni Tudu, Laxmipriya Sahu, Jyosthna Rani Nayak, Poonam Singh, Kabita Kasturi Padhiari, Puja Senapati, Saraswati Hembram, Sasmita Maharana, Subha Laxmi Barik, Puspalata Pradhan, S Yalna Priyadarshini, Subhapriya Barik, Lipika Biswal, Prangya, Ayushi Das. Coach: Manas Kumar Jena.

Men: Bikrant Kumar Routa (Captain), Shanawaz Ahmed, Sambit Pradhan, Diptiranjan Khuntia, Ratnakar Hemram, Narayan Sahu, Sachin Kalah, Dibya Ranjan Dalai, Aditya Digal, Sushil Hembram, Akshay Kumar Mahanta, Bibhuti Bhusan Sethy, Santosh Sethy, Subra Narayan Mohanty, Gyanaranjan Prusti, Sananda Sagar Pradhan, Sridhar Mahalik, Balaram Jena, Prasanna Kumar Nayak, Jitendra Kumar Pradhan, Sk Gufran, Balaram Sahu, Sushanta Behera, Priya Ranjan Rout, Kiran Kumar Jena, Manas Kumar Jena (tCoach-cum-player).
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PHOTO: Odisha women team celebrates after their title triumph in Kolkata on Sept 23, 2014.