Hong Kong’s men’s rugby sevens team has written a glorious new chapter in the city's sporting history by successfully defending their Asian Games gold medal in Nagoya, defeating the national team with a commanding 26-0 shutout.
This triumphant victory secures an unprecedented third consecutive Asian Games crown for the squad, while simultaneously elevating Hong Kong's gold medal haul at these Games to an all-time high of 11. The historic gold also takes the city's overall medal tally to 54, officially breaking the previous record set at the Hangzhou Games.
Having already defeated their mainland counterparts during the group stage, Hong Kong entered the gold medal showdown with high confidence and maintained their dominance from start to finish.
Dominant first-half surge sets the tone
The defending champions wasted no time asserting their authority on the game. Hong Kong's star player, Harry Sayers put on an attacking masterclass in the first half, piercing through the defense to score two crucial tries.
With teammates clinical in their conversions and the team executing their tactical plans flawlessly, Hong Kong stormed into a comprehensive 21-0 lead by the referee's halftime whistle, leaving their opponents with a mountain to climb.
Unyielding defense secures the historic crown
Hong Kong continued their relentless pursuit of gold in the second half. Juan Escono found a gap in the national team's defensive line to score another sensational try, expanding the lead to a dominant 26-0 and putting the game well out of reach.
Faced with a massive deficit, the national team launched a spirited, aggressive counter-attack in the final minutes of the match.
However, Hong Kong’s defensive line remained absolutely impenetrable, thwarting every offensive wave with disciplined and physical tackling.
When the final whistle blew, Hong Kong celebrated both a flawless 26-0 victory and their status as the undisputed kings of Asian Games rugby.
The Hong Kong, China men's team won the Gold Medal in the Rugby Sevens and will receive HK$2,000,000 under the Jockey Club Athlete Incentive Awards Scheme.
