JAPAN START TITLE DEFENCE WITH SUZHOU GLORY

The battle for Asian women’s sevens supremacy has begun, and Japan has fired the first warning shot.

Japan opened their Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series 2026 title defence in spectacular fashion, defeating China 24-7 in a dramatic Cup Final in Suzhou, China.

China stunned the defending champions by scoring first to take a 7-0 lead. But Japan refused to panic. Yume Hirano levelled the score before Mei Ohtani added another try, sending Japan into halftime with a 14-7 advantage.

Seika Ohashi crossed for Japan’s third try before Wakana Akita completed the scoring, sealing a convincing victory and 20 valuable Series points.

China’s Yue Sun and Xinrong Dou were among the top performers during an impressive weekend for the hosts.

The fight for third was equally dramatic. Thailand produced a stunning comeback against Hong Kong after trailing 12-0. They levelled the match and forced golden-point extra time, where Thailand completed an incredible 17-12 comeback.

Kazakhstan defeated India 17-12 for fifth, while UAE beat Uzbekistan 22-5 for seventh.

After Leg 1, Japan lead the standings with 20 points, followed by China on 18 and Thailand on 16. The battle now moves to Colombo, Sri Lanka, in October. With only one leg remaining, the Asian crown is still very much up for grabs.

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