Rugby debuted at the 13th Asian Games in Bangkok back in 1998 and the tournament to be played on 21-23 November at the University Town Main Stadium in Guangzhou, China, will be the fourth Asian Games to feature the Game of Rugby.
This year’s Asian Games will be the largest in terms of the number of athletes, sports and Technical Officials, as well as investment, and from a Rugby perspective it is also a key milestone with a women’s competition included for the first time.
This is not the first time that women’s Rugby has taken its place in Asian multi-sports – it featured at both the 2007 South East Asian Games in Korat, Thailand and the 2009 East Asian Games in Hong Kong - but it does show that women’s sport at the elite level is gaining recognition on the continent.
Among the men’s and women’s teams, major advances have been made by many of the nations in Asia, meaning that in reality any one of four teams could take gold medal in both the men and women’s events.
Among the men’s teams, Asia’s Rugby powerhouse Japan is the defending champion side and will always turn up strong and prepared. It will take a brave fan or pundit to bet against them, but interestingly it is Korea who have the most rugby gold medals at Asian Games. Add into the mix Hong Kong, who won the most recent Asian Sevens Series event in Borneo, and China, who have been consistent performers over the last
four year cycle since taking bronze in Doha in 2006, and you have a really intriguing line-up.
In the first ever women’s tournament it should be China and Kazakhstan battling it out for the Gold. The Chinese have dominated the Sevens scene in the last few years, putting in a strong performance at the 2009 Rugby World Cup Sevens in Dubai and running defending World Champions Australia close in Hong Kong earlier this year.
If China have laid claim to the top spot in Asia’s women’s Sevens, Kazakhstan have come to dominate in 15s in recent times and they should be the closest challengers here in Guangzhou.
That said, both Thailand and Japan - ranked three and four respectively - have toppled the top two before, as recently as at last year’s RWC Sevens Qualifiers, so the semi finals should definitely be the matches to watch.
Away from the pitch, the IRB has invested in key areas in China to ensure that Rugby’s event is run smoothly and produces the kind of Rugby that will showcase the sport in the best possible way.
Key technical staff have been recruited to train and develop over 60 Chinese technical and event officials to officiate at the rugby event; the regional staff have invested time and effort over the past three years to work directly with Local Government, the Organising Committee, the China Rugby Football Association and NOCs to ensure that the facilities, venue, equipment, logistics, personnel, participation, support and expertise will all be in place when we kick off on Sunday.
In terms of the match officials, both the IRB and the ARFU have continued to develop Asian Match Officials for events such as the Asian Games, importantly resisting the temptation to bring in referees from outside Asia. This is a real vote of confidence in the Training & Education Programmes, structures and abilities of match officials in Asia and I wish them and the players and coaches all the best.
Pools - men's competition
Pool AJapan
Hong Kong
Thailand
Malaysia
Mongolia
Pool BKorea
China
Sri Lanka
India
Pools - women's competition
Pool AChina
Thailand
Hong Kong
Korea
Pool BKazakhstan
Japan
Singapore
India
History of Rugby in Asian Games
Bangkok Asian Games 1998Rugby 15s
Gold: South Korea
Silver: Japan
Bronze: Chinese Taipei
Rugby Sevens
Gold: South Korea
Silver: Japan
Bronze: Thailand
Busan Asian Games 2002Rugby 15s
Gold: South Korea
Silver: Japan
Bronze: Chinese Taipei
Rugby Sevens
Gold: South Korea
Silver: Chinese Taipei
Bronze: Thailand
Doha Asian Games 2006
Rugby Sevens
Gold: Japan
Silver: South Korea
Bronze: China
The 16th Asian Games runs from 12-27 November 2010 in Guangzhou, China.
http://www.arfu.com/
