Asia’s Rugby Revolution: A New Era on the Pitch

Rugby union in Asia is entering a new era. With the sport’s popularity booming across the continent, particularly in East Asia, expectations are high that the region can become a true force in world rugby over the coming decade.

Photo Credit: Hanson Lu (@hansonluu)

Japan Leading the Charge

Much of the excitement stems from the remarkable rise of Japan in recent years. The Brave Blossoms captured global attention with their exhilarating performances on home soil at the 2019 Rugby World Cup. Although they ultimately fell short of reaching the quarter-finals in 2023, Japan proved they can compete with the best. Their famous 19-12 triumph over Ireland in 2019 as well as their historic win over the Springboks at RWC 2015 will go down as some of the greatest upsets in men’s World Cup history.

Japan’s Rugby League One (JRLO) has also grown rapidly into one of rugby’s most vibrant and competitive club competitions. An influx of elite international players from across the globe has helped drive up standards.

With Japanese rugby in such rude health, the Brave Blossoms will be eyeing a place among the world’s top teams in the years ahead, while the Sakura Fifteen is the dominant force in Asian women’s XV rugby, they competed in the inaugural WXV 2023 and should be qualifying for RWC 2025.

Emerging Forces Across Asia

Yet Japan is far from the only Asian nation making waves in rugby. The sport is booming right across the continent, with emerging forces coming to the fore.

Hong Kong China Rugby has long been Asia’s second-strongest team behind Japan for the men in XVs, and their Sevens team is one of, if not the strongest Asian side. However, they face stiff competition from the likes of South Korea in XVs and 7s, with UAE a rising star.

Other countries determined to climb the Asian pecking order include Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Kazakhstan in the men’s game. The growing strength in depth bodes extremely well for the future of Asian rugby.

Expansion of the World Cup

Asia’s rise comes at an opportune time, with World Rugby expanding the Rugby World Cup from 20 to 24 teams for the 2027 tournament to be held in Australia.

The shake-up should provide a major boost for Asian rugby. We can expect to see at least two or possibly three Asian teams participating in 2027, up from just one in recent editions (Japan are the only men’s Asian team to have competed at the RWC).

The same opportunity lies ahead for the women’s game as the Women’s England RWC 2025 is expanded to 16 teams, up from 12. In the past Japan, Kazakhstan, and Hong Kong have all participated at the tournament.

With a golden opportunity in front of them, Japan and their regional rivals will be pulling out all the stops over the next qualifying cycle to grab those extra World Cup spots.

Photo Credit: HKRU / Ike Li / Ike Images

Sevens Growth Across the Continent

It’s not just the 15-a-side game capturing the imagination across Asia. Sevens rugby has also exploded in popularity, especially with the sport’s inclusion in the Olympics since 2016.

The famous Hong Kong Sevens continues to be a highlight of the World Rugby Sevens Series (now rebranded as SVSN) calendar. There are still three Asian tournaments on the new calendar, with Dubai and Singapore also retaining their events.

Sevens tournaments are thriving all over Asia, from Singapore and South Korea to Sri Lanka and Malaysia. This growth at the grassroots level will undoubtedly translate into stronger Asian sevens teams in the coming years.

A New Frontier for Online Betting

Asia’s rugby revolution is also creating a new frontier for the online betting industry. With interest in the sport reaching unprecedented levels across the continent, bookmakers are rushing to capitalise on the soaring demand for rugby online betting.

Betting markets on Asian club matches and international games involving Japan, Hong Kong and others are already attracting plenty of punters. Expect rugby’s share of Asia’s vast sports betting market to grow exponentially over the next decade.

Conclusion: A Bright Future Beckons

These are heady days for sports and rugby in Asia. From the thriving club scene in Japan to the emergence of new Asian powers, the signs all point towards the dawn of a new era.

If development continues at the current rate, we can expect Asian teams to become a major force in global rugby by the time the World Cup heads to England in 2025 (women) and then to Australia in 2027 (men).

With the Asian Olympic dream also spurring players on as teams eye a spot in Paris in 2024, the future looks incredibly bright for rugby across the world’s most populous and dynamic continent.

This is an invited post not written by Rugby Asia 247.