The South Korean men's rugby sevens team was unable to secure a spot in the finals of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, marking a setback in their bid for consecutive championship appearances.
On October 3, in Nagoya, Japan, Korea lost to defending champion Hong Kong 14-35 in the men's rugby sevens semifinals.
After winning a silver medal at the 2022 Hangzhou Games, Korea aimed for its first gold medal in 24 years at this tournament but fell short against Hong Kong.
Hong Kong is regarded as the top rugby team in Asia and is seeking its third consecutive Asian Games title, following victories in the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang and 2022 Hangzhou Games.
Korea will face Japan for the bronze medal at the same venue at 6:10 PM.
Japan was pushed into the third-place match after losing to China 7-10 in the earlier semifinal.
This bronze medal match serves as a rematch, as Korea previously lost to Japan 14-24 in the group stage. A victory would not only secure the bronze medal but also avenge their earlier defeat.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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