By Shamseer Jaleel
With just three weeks remaining for the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, Sri Lanka’s men’s rugby sevens team faces one of its biggest tests in recent years as it looks to revive its fortunes after a disappointing showing in the opening leg of the Asia Rugby Sevens Series in China.
The rugby sevens competition at the Asian Games will be worked off from 1 to 3 October at the Paloma Mizuho Rugby Stadium in Nagoya, with 12 of Asia’s top teams battling for medals. Sri Lanka, once ranked among Asia’s top three sevens nations, has slipped to seventh in the regional rankings after a string of inconsistent performances in Suzhou, China, at the recently concluded first leg of the Asia Rugby Sevens Series.
The opening tournament in China exposed several weaknesses in the Sri Lankan outfit. The team began impressively with a commanding victory over Kazakhstan but failed to maintain momentum, suffering defeats to South Korea and hosts China in the pool stage. Those losses pushed Sri Lanka into the Cup quarter-finals as one of the best third-placed teams, where they were outclassed 17-0 by Japan. Sri Lanka eventually finished seventh after defeating Thailand in the placement play-off, a result well below expectations.
That campaign highlighted concerns over ball retention, discipline, decision-making, defensive structure and selfish play, areas New Zealand head coach Peter Woods will be desperate to address before Nagoya.
Sri Lanka has been drawn in Group C alongside the United Arab Emirates, Singapore and the Philippines. On paper, it is a group Sri Lanka is capable of topping, but recent performances suggest there is little room for complacency. The UAE has made significant progress in recent seasons, while the Philippines continue to improve with a physically strong squad.
The format offers some hope, with the top two teams from each group and the two best third-placed teams advancing to the quarter-finals. However, if Sri Lanka hopes to stand on the podium, merely reaching the knockout stage will not be enough.
A potential medal run is likely to require victories over stronger opponents such as China, South Korea and the UAE. Hong Kong China and Japan enter the Games as favourites after months of uninterrupted preparation and impressive performances on the Asian Sevens circuit.
Captain Soori and his teammates will need to rediscover the fearless brand of rugby that made Sri Lanka one of Asia’s most exciting sevens teams. The squad possesses pace and attacking flair, but consistency over three demanding days will determine whether they can challenge for a historic medal.
For Peter Woods, the countdown has begun. Turning around Sri Lanka’s fortunes in a fortnight will be a massive task, but a bronze medal at the Asian Games remains an achievable target if the Tuskers can produce their best rugby when it matters most. With the President of Sri Lanka Rugby putting in a lot of effort and even signing contracts with the players, a better performance is expected from the players. A few changes are also expected to be made to the final touring squad of 13, with Janidu Dilshan and a few more likely to come into the squad.
Group A comprises Hong Kong China, China, Malaysia and Uzbekistan, while Group B features Japan, Thailand, South Korea and Kazakhstan. Sri Lanka has been drawn in Group C alongside the United Arab Emirates, Singapore and the Philippines.
Sri Lanka will open its campaign on 1 October with matches against the Philippines and Singapore. The team will then face the United Arab Emirates on 2 October in its final group-stage fixture.
The knockout stage will take place on 3 October, featuring the quarter-finals and semi-finals, followed by the fifth/sixth and seventh/eighth place play-offs, the bronze medal match and the gold medal match.
