TIGERS UNITED

The opening chapter of the Asia Rugby Sevens Series 2026, powered by Emirates, delivered everything fans could ask for, speed, drama, comebacks and unforgettable finishes. With 12 men’s and 12 women’s teams battling across two action-packed days in Suzhou, China, the continent’s finest sevens players produced a spectacular start to the championship. In the women’s competition, defending champions Japan showed why they remain the team to beat. China stunned Japan by scoring first in the Cup Final, but the champions responded with composure and quality. Yume Hirano levelled the score before Mei Ohtani , Seika Ohashi and Wakana Akita completed a 24-7 victory. Japan collected 20 points to lead the standings, with China second on 18 and Thailand third on 16. Thailand produced one of the weekend’s biggest comebacks, recovering from 12-0 down against Hong Kong to force golden-point extra time before winning 17-12. The men’s competition was equally explosive. Defending champions Hong...

Hong Kong China  once again stamped their authority on Asian rugby, securing a remarkable seventh consecutive Asia Rugby Emirates Championship title with a commanding 45–9 win over Korea  in Game 2 of the 2026 campaign. After surviving a dramatic 15–14 escape against Sri Lanka in Colombo last week, Hong Kong returned home to the Hong Kong Football Club with a clear mission, finish the job in style. They did exactly that, producing a composed, clinical, and ruthless performance to seal the championship with one match still to play. The first half was competitive, with Korea refusing to back down. Hong Kong led 12–9 at the break, with tries from Sunia Fameitau and Charles Higson-Smith , supported by a conversion from Dylan McCann . Korea stayed in touch through three well-taken penalties, keeping the contest alive. However, the second half belonged entirely to the champions. Hong Kong exploded into life with wave after wave of attacking pressure. Tries from Brendon Nell , Jac...