In the women semifinals, Odisha beat Delhi 22-10 and Maharashtra humbled West Bengal 12-0. In the mens semifinals, Maharashtra crushed Tamil Nadu 32-0 and Haryana mauled Delhi 43-0.

R Vineel Krishna, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Department of Sports & Youth Services, Government of Odisha, handed over the trophies at the presentation ceremony. Rugby India President Rahul Bose, Secretary Gerald Antony Prabhu and KISS Deemed Univesity Registrar Dr Prashanta Kumar Routray were present on the occasion.

Both the men and women teams of Odisha barged into semifinals, winning respective pre-quarterfinal and quarterfinal matches on the second day. Odisha men hammered Bihar 40-0 in pre-quarterfinals and Tamil Nadu 28-15 in quarterfinals. The ruthless Odisha women mauled Punjab 62-0 in pre-quarterfinals and followed it with a 27-0 win over Goa in the quarterfinals.

Earlier on the opening day, Odisha men and women marched into pre-quarterfinals winning both of respective pool league matches by big margin. Placed in Pool-6, Odisha men started campaign with a 31-5 win over Gujarat and then blanked Telangana 30-0. Odisha women won their two league matches in Pool-2, trouncing Andhra Pradesh 60-0 and Jharkhand 33-0.

The three-day championships was organised by Indian Rugby Football Union (IRFU), in association with Government of Odisha, Societe Generale, KIIT University and Odisha Rugby Football Association.

A total or 27 States and affiliated unites of IRFU participated in the championship, which would serve as the platform for selection of the Indian men and women teams Asian Rugby Championships 2022.

This was second National rugby championship Odisha hosted within a week. Earlier, the Junior National Rugby Sevens Championship was held at the same venue from December 8 to 10.

ODISHA TEAMS:

MEN: Gouranga Jamuda, Ratnakar Hemram, Sasanka Sekhar Tripathy, Suguda Majhi, Prakash Chandra Soy, Bibhuti Bhusan Sethy, Shanawaz Ahmed, Bikranta Kumar Rauta, Ajay Oram, Muna Murmu, Narasingh Marndi, Rajeev Kumar Nath. Coach: Manas Kumar Jena; Manager: Bikash Chandra Murmu.

WOMEN: Bhagyalaxmi Barik, Soni Mandangi, Ranjita Naik, Dumuni Marndi, Meerarani Hembram, Rajani Sabara, Hupi Majhi, Jemamani Naik, Hiramani Soren, Kabita Kasturi Padihari, Parbati Kisku, Tilottama Sahoo. Coach: Dhiren Kumar Rout; Manager: Ranjita Dash.
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TOP: Players of Odisha women team lift the trophy after emerging champions in Bhubaneswar on 19 December 2021.
RIGHT: Players of Odisha men team celebrate after winning bronze medal in Bhubaneswar on 19 December 2021.