The Sri Lanka Tuskers put on a strong showing on Day 1 of the Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series 2026 (Leg 02), securing two impressive victories out of three matches to book their spot in the knockouts. Meanwhile, the women’s team endured a challenging day on home soil, dropping two tough games to powerhouse opponents before battling back to claim a thrilling win in their final match at the Racecourse Stadium. Notably, the Iran women’s rugby team did not participate in this round due to domestic circumstances beyond their control.
Sri Lanka’s Day 01 Campaign
Men’s Segment (The Tuskers)
- Sri Lanka 21 – 17 UAE:
Sri Lanka got off to a thrilling start despite conceding an early opening try to UAE. The Tuskers quickly responded as Srinath Sooriyabandara crossed the line, followed by a try from Diluksha Dange. Just before the halftime hooter, Pasindu Bandara extended the lead, putting Sri Lanka ahead 21–7 at the break. UAE fought back bravely in the second half with two unconverted tries, but the Tuskers held their ground defensively to seal a 21–17 victory.
- Sri Lanka 5 – 17 Hong Kong China:
In a high-stakes clash against the first-leg champions, Hong Kong China struck first to take a 5–0 lead into halftime. Sri Lanka fought back in the second half, with Shaahid Zumri scoring a crucial try to equalize the score. However, Hong Kong China showed their clinical dominance, running in two quick late tries to take the match 17–5.
- Sri Lanka 26 – 19 India:
India drew first blood with an early lead, but Sri Lanka rallied back strongly. Shaahid Zumri scored to equalize before Akash Madushanka added another, giving the Tuskers a 12–5 halftime lead. In the second half, Maliksha Perera opened the scoring and Madushanka completed his brace to extend Sri Lanka’s advantage. India mounted a fiery late comeback with two rapid tries, but it was not enough to deny the Tuskers a 26–19 victory.
Women’s Segment
- Sri Lanka Women 00 – 53 China Women
- Sri Lanka Women 32 – 05 Kazakhstan Women
- Sri Lanka Women 17 – 12 Uzbekistan Women
The Sri Lankan women faced a tough opening day overall, but their final match against Uzbekistan provided a brilliant silver lining. Showing great determination, the Lady Tuskers secured a hard-fought 17–12 victory thanks to tries from Idusha Perera, Diliki Sathsarani, and Nadeesha Sewwandi to thrill the home crowd.
Let’s take a look at how the groups unfolded:
Group A: Dominant Hong Kong China & Resilient Tuskers
Group A saw intense competition, with Hong Kong China finishing undefeated at the top after securing victories against India (33–0), Sri Lanka (17–5), and a close battle against UAE (29–26). Host nation Sri Lanka delivered a strong showing, claiming two victories over UAE (21–17) and India (26–19). UAE secured 3rd spot with a win over India (28–5), while India went winless across their three pool matches.
Group B: Perfect Japan Takes the Lead
Japan controlled Group B with flawless performances, scoring a total of 133 points across three games while defeating Uzbekistan (41–5), Malaysia (54–5), and Thailand (38–14). Thailand claimed second place with victories against Malaysia (21–15) and Uzbekistan (24–0). Malaysia earned 3rd place with a 31–10 win over Uzbekistan.
Group C: China Tops Tight Battle with Korea
Group C delivered clinical play from both China and Korea. China finished undefeated at the top of the pool after defeating Kazakhstan (33–14), Singapore (43–0), and edging out Korea in the top-of-the-table clash (26–12). Koreafinished second with comfortable wins over Singapore (26–21) and Kazakhstan (33–0). Singapore snatched 3rd place with a low-scoring 7–5 victory against Kazakhstan.
Group D: Dominant Japan Leads the Way
Japan stood out in Group D with a defensive masterclass, conceding only 5 points across all three games while defeating Iran (20–0), UAE (41–0), and India (33–5). India claimed 2nd place with impressive shut-out victories over UAE (24–0) and Iran (20–0). UAE secured 3rd spot with a 20–0 win over Iran, while Iran went winless across their group matches.
Group E: China Dominates; Sri Lanka Claim Thrilling Win
China put on an explosive display of scoring power, posting 150 points across three games while defeating Sri Lanka (53–0), Uzbekistan (66–0), and Kazakhstan (31–7). Kazakhstan took 2nd place with two strong wins against Uzbekistan (36–0) and Sri Lanka (32–5). Host nation Sri Lanka snatched 3rd place after thrilling the home crowd with a spirited 17–12 victory over Uzbekistan.
Group F: Undefeated Hong Kong China Tops the Table
Hong Kong China asserted total control in Group F, topping the standings after victories over Malaysia (55–0), Singapore (42–5), and a tight 12–0 triumph against Thailand. Thailand took 2nd spot following dominant attacking displays against Singapore (50–7) and Malaysia (39–0). Singapore secured 3rd place with a 19–0 victory against Malaysia.
Cup Quarter-finals: Blockbuster Battles Await on Sunday
With the pool stage complete, attention now turns to Sunday’s knockout action, where the teams will compete for places in the semi-finals.
Men’s Cup Quarter-finals
- Hong Kong China vs Malaysia
- Thailand vs Korea
- China vs Sri Lanka
- UAE vs Japan
Sri Lanka face a major challenge against China in what promises to be one of the standout fixtures of the quartefinal round. The Tuskers will need to build on their attacking performance against India and deliver a disciplined display against a side that dominated its pool.
Women’s Cup Quarter-finals
- Japan vs Singapore
- Kazakhstan vs Thailand
- Hong Kong China vs India
- UAE vs China
The women’s quarterfinals also promise a demanding day of competition, with the leading sides looking to carry their pool-stage momentum into the knockout rounds.
Fans can catch all the action live from 7:50AM onwards on Sunday .
, securing two impressive victories out of three matches to book their spot in the knockouts. Meanwhile, the women’s team endured a challenging day on home soil, dropping two tough games to powerhouse opponents before battling back to claim a thrilling win in their final match at the Racecourse Stadium. Notably, the Iran women's rugby team did not participate in this round due to domestic circumstances beyond their control. ){kind=link}