South Korea Men Rugby Team Misses Out on Asian Games Medal for First Time After Defeat to Japan
- The South Korean men's rugby sevens team finished the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games without a medal after losing 5-17 to Japan in the bronze medal match, Park Jangsik...
- South Korea faced host nation Japan at the Paloma Mizuho Rugby Stadium in Nagoya, Japan, falling short in the third-place playoff.
- The squad entered the tournament following a three-month preparation period under a restructured roster blending veterans like Nam-wook Kim, Jeong-min Jang, Jin-gyu Lee, and Yong-heung Jang with university...
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The South Korean men’s rugby sevens team finished the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games without a medal after losing 5-17 to Japan in the bronze medal match, Park Jangsik reported for Daum. It marks the first time South Korea has missed the podium in rugby since the sport debuted at the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games.
Bronze Match Defeat Against Japan
South Korea faced host nation Japan at the Paloma Mizuho Rugby Stadium in Nagoya, Japan, falling short in the third-place playoff. The team dropped into the bronze medal encounter following a semifinal loss to Hong Kong. Despite trailing 17-0 as regulation time expired, newcomer Moon-gyu Lee crossed the try line for South Korea’s only score. Lee is playing in his first senior national team tournament after being selected for the Asian Games roster.
South Korea Reaches Semifinals After Group Stage Wins
The squad entered the tournament following a three-month preparation period under a restructured roster blending veterans like Nam-wook Kim, Jeong-min Jang, Jin-gyu Lee, and Yong-heung Jang with university and military-service rookies including Moon-gyu Lee, Jun Lee, and Chan-jun Kim. In the group stage, South Korea defeated Thailand 24-7 and Kazakhstan 33-5 before dropping a 14-24 decision to Japan. Advancing to the quarterfinals, the team defeated the United Arab Emirates 29-12 behind three tries from Jeong-min Jang. In the semifinals, South Korea met Hong Kong and suffered a 14-35 defeat, sending them to the bronze medal match against Japan.
Historic Medal Streak Ends in Nagoya
The result ends an unbroken streak of podium finishes that began when rugby entered the Asian Games program in 1998, where South Korea won the inaugural gold, followed by dual 15-side and 7-side titles at the 2002 Busan Asian Games.