Kolkata, Sep 9 (PTI) The Indian senior women’s rugby sevens team has begun its preparation for the upcoming Asian Games here with coach Terence Joseph saying the focus of the national camp will be on execution and consistency.
The camp is being held at the Sports Authority of India’s Netaji Subhas Eastern Centre in Kolkata, which has been the home base for the Indian rugby team ahead of major international competitions.
The Indian eves will compete in the women’s rugby sevens tournament at the Paloma Mizuho Rugby Stadium in Nagoya from October 1 to 3. India has been drawn in Pool B alongside defending champions China, Hong Kong China and Malaysia.
“The Asian Games is a big tournament for us. We are looking at details and consistency from the team. A lot depends on how we execute our plans in Japan,” Joseph said during a press conference in SAI Kolkata.
“SAI Kolkata has been the home for the Indian rugby team. We have been conducting camps here for the past three years.” Captain Shikha Yadav echoed her coach’s sentiments, saying the team would look to carry its recent form into the Asian Games.
“We want to carry the form and consistency from recent impressive performances at Asia Rugby Sevens series into the Asian Games. Rather than putting ourselves under added pressure, we want to remain grounded, follow the pattern and stick to the basics,” she said.
Shikha, Dumini, Kalyani Patil, Vaishnavi Patil, Mama Nayak and Sandhya Rai, who were part of the previous Asian Games squad, are also in the squad for the mega event in Aichi-Nagoya.
The current camp, scheduled to continue until September 24, is focused on finalising the travelling core team and sharpening the tactical details required against some of the continent’s strongest teams.
A total of 20 players are currently attending the national coaching camp, sanctioned by the Sports Authority of India at Rs 19.8 lakh.
India’s women’s rugby sevens team finished seventh at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2022. The team had earlier made its Asian Games debut at Guangzhou in 2010. PTI ATK BS
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