England and Australia shatter Wales' two-decade World Deaf Rugby Sevens dominance in Tokyo

England and Australia each claimed their first-ever World Deaf Rugby Sevens title at Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium in Tokyo, ending a run of Welsh dominance that had lasted more than two decades across every edition of the tournament.

In the men’s final, England were ruthless, defeating Australia 45-5 after going unbeaten through Pool B and dismantling South Africa 36-0 in the quarter-finals. Wales, the defending champions, reached the semi-finals by edging hosts Japan 12-10, but were beaten 25-12 by England and then lost the bronze-medal match 25-7 to Fiji.

Australia’s path to the men’s final included a 37-5 quarter-final win over Samoa and a 31-14 semi-final victory against pool winners Fiji. Though they fell short against England in the men’s decider, the Australians returned later in the day to secure the women’s title.

The women’s competition was considerably tighter. Australia, England and Wales all finished the pool stage with four wins and one loss, with Australia advancing to the final on points differential. Wales were beaten 19-12 by England in the semi-finals before recovering to defeat Fiji 32-12 for bronze. In the final, Australia dug deep to beat England 31-14 and claim their first women’s world title.

The results in Tokyo represent a landmark moment for the tournament. Wales had won the inaugural XVs championship in 2002, defeating New Zealand 28-14 at Eden Park, and successfully defended their titles in the sevens format in 2018 and 2023 — the latter being the first edition to include a women’s competition, which Wales also won. The 2026 championships mark the first time any nation other than Wales has lifted the trophy in the event’s history.

Beyond the results, organisers noted a significant increase in the number of participating teams and a rise in the overall standard of competition, suggesting the tournament is growing well beyond its founding nation.