MUMBAI, June 18 -- There's a certain mystique to the All Blacks - their ruthless precision on the field, quiet humility off it, and the spine-tingling haka (a Maori dance) around every match. With 14 World Rugby Sevens Series titles and three Rugby World Cups in the 15s format, New Zealand's national rugby team has long set the gold standard globally. Now, fragments of that winning culture have arrived on Indian soil. At the inaugural Rugby Premier League (RPL) that began on Sunday in Mumbai, two of New Zealand's finest - former captain DJ Forbes and 2023 Sevens Player of the Year Akuila Rokolisoa - are lending their pedigree to a league that's finding its feet. Forbes, a veteran of over 500 games and a World Rugby Hall of Famer, is coaching the Hyderabad Heroes. His philosophy is simple: elite performance stems from mastering the basics, making good decisions under pressure, staying consistent, and building mental resilience. "We're trying to get the Indian boys to the level where international players operate, which is at maximum fatigue and how to then take smart calls," he said. Training sessions are fast, intense and repetitive, designed to mimic real-game scenarios. "At the All Blacks, we've always held that speed, vision, and decision-making are key. So we've been drilling those hard in the last couple of weeks." Rokolisoa began the season scoring the first try for his team, the Bengaluru Bravehearts. Known for his game vision and ability to time his runs perfectly, he credits the All Blacks' high-performance environment for shaping his approach. "Our motto is built around high standards, so everything from what you eat, how you train, to little things like getting your body ready after injuries, contributes to the high performance pattern," Rokolisoa said. The 29-year-old is all too happy to pass on that motto to the next generation of players who come to him for advice.And Indian players are all too eager. Forbes describes the Indians in the league as "sponges," soaking up every bit of guidance from international coaches and foreign teammates. Unlike the 15s side, the All Blacks Sevens perform the haka only after a win. It's more a celebration of shared effort than a form of intimidation. "It's a reminder that we did the hard yards together," said Forbes. For players like him and Rokolisoa, the haka reflects collective grit and humility. "It's a big part of our team and our Maori culture. We have our own haka written by our boys and performed by our boys. It means something special to us. Every stomp and shout carries unity, purpose and pride," said Rokolisoa. That ethos of selflessness, determination and team spirit is what they seek to pass on to their Indian counterparts. Rugby in India has long flown under the radar. Ranked 89th in the world, the national men's team is still chasing its breakthrough moment. Infrastructure and visibility remain major challenges but what's often lacking, according to Mohit Khatri, who captained India at the Asia Rugby Sevens Trophy in Nepal in 2024, is belief. "Facilities are limited, sure," he said, "but the bigger issue is intent. People don't pick rugby because they don't see it. That's where the RPL can shift perception." Mumbai Dreamers captain Akash Balmiki, who also plays for Dallas Harlequins in the US, believes the sport is on the brink of a transformation in India. "The reach is growing. More kids will see it and want to play it." The international stars may have arrived to lead but it's the local players who stand to gain. And if a few sore muscles and a Mumbai heatwave that "feels like a sauna," as Rokolisoa quips, are the price to pay for the game's growth in uncharted territory, they'll take it. After all, as Forbes puts it in typical All Blacks spirit, "It's not about one player. It's about all of us getting there together."...