It all goes back to Bombay Gymkhana. In fact, correct that. Mumbai's association with the sport of rugby dates back to even earlier. The prestigious SoBo club was established in 1872, with rugby introduced there two years later. But it was in 1866 that a bunch of Englishmen played the country's first match at the Bombay Sappers army unit. It makes India the second oldest country after England to have hosted a rugby game. That means that the city's engagement with the sport is over 150 years old. But the question is: with the ongoing Rugby World Cup being held for the first time in Asia, in Japan, where does the sport's fate lie at present in this city, one of the first places in history to witness people playing it?

The answer points mainly towards Bombay Gymkhana. The club's been a relentless champion for the sport ever since its inception. Such that it even bends its otherwise strict policies to allow non-members to train there (though there is a condition that you have to be able to travel to Fort on a regular basis). There is also an annual recruitment drive held there to find new talent around this time of the year. And the club's grounds often host matches for national-level competitions, too.