Twelve teams to compete in All India and South Asia Rugby Championship

Kolkata Sep 16 (IANS) Twelve teams from across the country will vie for top honours when the All India & South Asia Rugby Championship gets underway at the Calcutta Cricket and Football Club (CC&FC) grounds here from Saturday.

Organised by the Indian Rugby Football Union (IRFU) - also known as Rugby India - the governing body of the sport in the country, the week-long meet will see the three teams at the rear relegated to Division 2.

The tournament will be on a league-cum-knockout format. The final of the men's event will be on September 24, while that of the women's meet will be one day earlier.

There will be no international teams.

"Many Indian players will be playing for the twelve teams on show," Rugby India CEO Naseer Hussian told reporters.

This is the first time a women's Rugby 15s meet will be held simultaneously. Six teams will take part, three of them from West Bengal.

Army Red are the defending champions. Bombay Gymkhana, Delhi Hurricanes, Maharashtra State Police, Jungle Crows are among the participants.