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Hong Kong China and Japan seize Asian Games sevens gold with dominant final-day displays

Hong Kong China shut out China 26-0 in the men's final while Japan edged China 10-5 in the women's decider at Paloma Mizuho Rugby Stadium, with both gold medallists going through the tournament largely unbeaten.

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Hong Kong China and Japan seize Asian Games sevens gold with dominant final-day displays
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Hong Kong China and Japan claimed the men’s and women’s rugby sevens gold medals at the 2026 Asian Games, both defeating the People’s Republic of China in their respective finals at Paloma Mizuho Rugby Stadium in Nagoya.

In the men’s showpiece, Hong Kong China produced a commanding 26-0 victory to defend the title they won in 2022. Harry Sayers scored a brace, with Juan Esono Mba Oyana and Dafydd Phillips also crossing the line. The result was built on a near-impenetrable defence: Hong Kong China conceded no points at all during the pool stages, with their only points against coming in a 35-14 semi-final win over South Korea.

Japan’s women, meanwhile, went unbeaten throughout the tournament to claim gold. The Sakura Sevens — bolstered by seven players with HSBC SVNS circuit experience — swept past Singapore, Kazakhstan and Thailand in the pool stages before defeating Hong Kong China 27-12 in the semi-finals. Marin Kajiki and Yume Hirano both scored tries in the final as Japan overcame China 10-5.

China’s performances across both draws were nonetheless a significant marker of progress for their national programme. The women’s side defeated Thailand 28-0 and Hong Kong China 24-10 in pool play, while the men beat Japan 10-7 to reach the final, earning silver medals in both competitions.

South Korea’s men were another notable story of the tournament, pushing Japan hard in Pool B and advancing to the semi-finals before falling to Hong Kong China. Japan claimed the men’s bronze medal with a 17-5 win over South Korea.

In the women’s bronze medal match, Hong Kong China recovered from a difficult run of results — including a poor showing at the Hong Kong Sevens earlier this year — to beat Thailand 7-5.

With the Asian Games concluded, Hong Kong China’s men’s squad now shifts focus to the SVNS 3 tournament and a push for qualification in the men’s SVNS 2 competition in 2027, while Japan’s women begin preparations for the 2026-27 HSBC SVNS season.

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