We look at the best international rugby tournaments in 2020 that have Asian representation at a national level. These include the Tokyo 2020 7s rugby, World Rugby 7s Challenger Series, HSBC World Sevens Series, tag rugby in the form of the ITF Tag Confederations Cup and international test matches!
Asia was host to both the Rugby Union World Cup and Touch Rugby World Cup in 2019 as well as major events like the SEA Games. In 2020, the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 will be one of the biggest showpieces.
Update: Please check the official tournament websites for changes as the coronavirus outbreak is causing many changes to dates and/or postponements of rugby events.
Rugby Sevens
Tokyo 2020 Rugby 7s
The men’s 7s rugby competition will take place from July 27-29th 2020, while the women’s 7s rugby competition will run from July 30th-August 1st at the Ajinomoto (Tokyo) Stadium. Japan, as the host nation, qualified automatically.
Qualified men’s rugby 7s teams Tokyo 2020: Argentina, Canada, Fiji, Great Britain, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa, USA, Australia, Kenya, Korea.
Qualified women’s rugby 7s teams Tokyo 2020: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Great Britain, Japan, New Zealand, USA, China.
- Date: July 27 – August 1st 2020
- Venue: Ajinomoto (Tokyo) Stadium, Japan
Asia Men’s results 2019 Olympic Sevens Qualifier
- Winner: Korea (Qualified)
- Qualified for Repechage 2020: Hong Kong and China
Photo Credit: Asia Rugby – Korea men qualify for Tokyo 2020
Asia Women’s results 2019 Sevens Olympic Qualifier
- Winner: China (Qualified)
- Qualified for Repechage 2020: Hong Kong and Kazakhstan
See all the Men’s 7s results and Women’s 7s results.
Tokyo 2020 Olympics Rugby 7s repechage tournament
There are still three places to be confirmed for the Olympics 7s rugby in Tokyo 2020, one men’s and two women’s national 7s rugby teams. The repechage tournament will be held in June 2020 to determine which teams will qualify.
Korea won the Men’s Asian Qualification Series in 2019 to clinch Olympic qualification while the Chinese ladies won the Women’s Series and also claim a spot at Tokyo 2020.
From Asia, the teams heading to the repechage tournament are Hong Kong (men and women), China (men) and Kazakhstan (women).
Olympics Rugby 7s 2020 repechage tournament details
- Date: 20-21 June 2020 (Tournament under review according to World Rugby)
- Venue: Biarritz, France
World Rugby Sevens Series 2020
There are two HSBC World Rugby Sevens events which were due in Asia in 2020, both in April. The Emirates Dubai 7s took place in 2019 for the current season as well.
The dates of both tournaments were moved to October due to the coronavirus outbreak.
HSBC/Cathay Pacific World Sevens Hong Kong 2020
The HK sevens is still regarded by many as the most important leg on the World Series. Although recent troubles in Hong Kong have led to speculation about wether the event would go ahead, Hong Kong Rugby is adamant the tournament will take place in 2020. The Men’s and Women’s World Series will be played across 3 days, with the Kowloon RugbyFest confirmed to go ahead (new dates TBC) while the GFI Tens will not.
The Challenger Series will also be played in Hong Kong (see below) to determine which team will join the World Rugby Sevens Series for 2020-2021.
- Venue: Hong Kong Stadium
- Date: 16-18 October 2020
HSBC Singapore World Sevens 2020
The HSBC Singapore World Sevens takes place the weekend after the Hong Kong Sevens and the atmosphere is much more family-centric. Only the Men’s Series is played in Singapore and there are fewer, if any, other social rugby tournaments that take place leading up to the 7s.
- Venue: Singapore National Stadium
- Date: 10-11 October 2020
World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series 2020
The newly announced Challenger Series will take place in 2020, although the details for the Women’s division have not been announced.
From Asia, we know Hong Kong and Japan will compete in the Men’s Challenger Series for the chance to gain promotion to the Core World Rugby Sevens Series.
World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series 2020 Men’s details
The two legs of the inaugural World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series will be played in South America:
- Viña del Mar, Chile (15-16 February 2020)
- Montevideo, Uruguay (22-23 February 2020)
The top eight core teams after the two rounds in South America will then compete in a final playoff tournament at the HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2020 with the winner earning promotion to the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.
World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series 2020 Women’s details
Confirmed by World Rugby, the 7s Challenger Series event will take place at the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch, South Africa from 28-29th March 2020. Three Asian women’s teams will be involved: Japan, China and Kazakhstan.
The women’s Challenger Series will be a standalone event with 12 teams competing.
- Venue: Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch, South Africa
- Dates: 28-29th March 2020 (Tournament postponed)
15s Rugby Union
World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup 2020
The Japanese national men’s team participates in the Pacific Nations Cup, which they won in 2019. No details have been confirmed for the 2020 edition of the PNC.
- Date: TBC
- Teams: Japan, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, USA, Canada
World Rugby Pacific Challenge 2020
The Japanese Junior Men’s team played in the World Rugby Pacific Challenge in 2019. The World Rugby Pacific Challenge 2020 includes Junior Japan, Fiji Warriors, Samoa A, Tonga A and the tournament will run from 6-14 March with all games played in Suva.
- Date: 6-14 March 2020
- Teams: Junior Japan, Fiji Warriors, Samoa A, Tonga A
Brave Blossoms 2020 test matches
The Brave Blossoms, the Japanese national men’s team will also be playing a number of high-profile international test matches in 2020 following their success at the Rugby World Cup in 2019.
- June 27 2020, Japan v Wales, Venue and KO time TBC
- 4 July 2020: Japan v England, Oita Stadium, Ōita, Japan
- 11 July 2020: Japan v England Kobe Misaki Stadium, Kobe, Japan
- 18 July 2020: Japan v France, Venue TBC
- 14 November 2020: Scotland v Japan, Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
- 21 November 2020: Ireland v Japan, Aviva Stadium, Dublin
- 5 December 2020: Barbarians v Japan, Twickenham Stadium, London
World Rugby U20 Championship 2020
Japan will play in the U20 Championship in 2020 after winning the U20 Trophy tournament in 2019.
The tournament was cancelled by World Rugby in March.
- Location: Italy
- Due Date: 2020
- Asian representation: Japan
World Rugby U20 Trophy 2020
The World Rugby Under 20 Trophy is the second tier tournament and in 2019 Hong Kong and Japan took part. HK won the right to play in the U20 Trophy tournament in 2020 by winning the Asia Rugby U19s tournament in December 2019.
- Location: Villajoyosa, Spain
- Due Date: 14-27 September 2020
- Asian representation: Hong Kong
SANIX World Rugby Youth Tournament 2020
The youth rugby 15s tournament is still regarded as one of the most prestigious events on the global stage. Hosted every year in Japan, SANIX is traditionally held during the Golden Week holidays in Fukuoka prefecture, Japan.
The invitational tournament sees some of the best school rugby teams in the world attend. There is also a girls 7s tournament in addition to the boys XVs. A number of Japanese teams also participate and play their qualification rounds in Japan at the end of 2019.
- Date: TBC 2020 (Tournament cancelled in March 2020)
- Location: Japan
Tag Rugby
ITF Tag Confederations Cup Tournament 2020
Possibly Japan and Hong Kong will be looking to enter the ITF Tag Confederations Cup Tournament 2020 in Ireland.
The Hong Kong Tag is looking to field a Mixed Open Team at the tournament and has made an expression of interest open to eligible players while Japan is the only listed full member of the International Tag Federation.
The Tag Rugby World Cup 2021 will be held at the same venue.
- Venue: University of Limerick, Ireland
- Date: 7-9 August 2020
- Possible Asian representation: Hong Kong, Japan
Read more about rugby events in Asia
- Read our Guide on the best International Asian rugby tournaments in 2020.
- Global Rapid Rugby set for 2020.
- Super Rugby 2020 is the final Sunwolves season.
- Many Social rugby tournaments in Asia have been confirmed for 2020 including The Bangkok International Rugby 10s, the Phuket International Rugby Tens 2020, Jakarta International Rugby 10s 2020, or try the Manila Rugby Tens 2020.
Trending Now
The Best Social 2024 Rugby Tournaments In Asia
