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Japan’s men have successfully reclaimed their Asian Games Rugby Sevens gold medal in Guangzhou, China. 

The favourites showed exceptional courage to battle past Hong Kong, at a packed University Town Main Stadium, taking the event finale 28-21.

The Japanese stormed into a 21-7 half-time lead with scores to Masahiro Tsuiki and a brace for Koji Wada with Rowan Varty replying for Hong Kong.

But the match sparked into life in the second period with the nimble Keith Robertson scoring for Hong Kong to close the gap to 21-14. 

Tsuiki then was given a straight red card for a dangerous lifting tackle leaving the Japanese down to six men, with Hong Kong seizing the initiative through Kam Yiu’s try, with Robertson’s conversion making it 21-21 apiece.

Somehow Japan held firm with some outstanding defence and were rewarded with an incredible winning try to Yasunori Nagatomo.

Hong Kong took out the much-fancied China in an intriguing extra-time semi-final showdown.

Varty had given Hong Kong the lead but veteran Zhang Zhiqiang hit back for the Chinese to level things up. 20-year-old Anthony Haynes restored Hong Kong’s lead on the stroke of half-time to set up a pulsating second set of seven.

Zhuan Lu crossing for China in the second period and with Robertson sin-binned the scores remained locked at 14-14. But within a minute of extra-time it was the ever-reliable Haynes going over for a jubilant Hong Kong to book their final spot. 

Two tries apiece to Kojo Wada and Masahiro Tsuiki proved enough for Japan in their 28-15 semis victory over Korea.

Sri Lanka looked on the verge of causing in their last-eight clash with Hong Kong – leading 14-12 heading into the closing stages thanks to scores from Saliya Hadapangodage and Radhika Hettiarachchi. But once again it was Haynes the saviour scoring with three minutes to go settle the matter.

Korea thrashed Malaysia (47-7) in their quarters clash with Won Yong Kim scoring twice as Japan cruised past brave India at the same stage (26-5).Two Yang Li tries propelled China into the semi-finals as they showed water-tight defence to see off Thailand 36-0.

Korea triumphed in a bronze medal showdown with China, with tries from Wan Yong Park, Jong Man Chun, Hyun Soon Kim securing a 21-14 victory.

Kazakhstan grabbed the gold medal in the women’s final against China, as the two leading contenders clashed the inaugural women’s competition at the Asian Games. Irina Amossova, Lyudmila Sherer and Anna Yakovleva all crossed in the 17-14 victory. Thailand took home the bronze medal following a 17-12 win over Hong Kong.