Sevens
Wales’ two-decade run at the World Deaf Rugby Sevens came to an emphatic end in Tokyo as England and Australia she won the most honors at the men’s and women’s tournaments in 2026.
Played over three days of action in Tokyo, it all culminated in the final day of knockout rugby at Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium, where England and Australia dominated both the men’s and women’s tournaments and played each other in both finals.
After remaining undefeated in Group B of the men’s tournament, the English were blown away South Africa 36-0 in the quarter-finals to find themselves pitted in the semi-finals.
Australia, who finished as runners-up in Group B, also easily accounted for it Samoa 37-5, setting up a semi-final clash with Group A winners Fiji, eventually winning 31-14 to enter the final.
Despite finishing second in Group A, Wales advanced to the semi-finals after losing to the hosts Japan 12-10, before eventually losing 25-12 to England before losing the third-placed play-off to Fiji, 25-7.
England eventually ran away with a result in the men’s final, beating Australia 45-5 to claim their first Deaf World Rugby Sevens title – but the Aussies will seek revenge in the women’s tournament later in the day.
Played in one group of six teams, the women’s competition saw a far more difficult affair, with Australia, England and Wales all finishing with four wins and one loss, the Women in Gold topping the table on points difference.
With all three sides through to the semi-finals, the fourth team to join them would once again be Fiji, who made New Zealand 10-5 in the quarter-finals, but would eventually run out of steam against Australia, falling 22-5.
Defending champions in the women’s tournament as well, Wales would stumble for the second time in the semi-final against England, going down 19-12 before coming back to lose Fiji 32-12 for bronze.
In the women’s final, the Australians had to dig deep but eventually triumphed 31-14 over England, winning their first Deaf Women’s Rugby World Cup.
The events in Tokyo mark the first time a nation other than Wales has triumphed in Deaf Rugby World Cup history – with the Welsh winning the first and only XV tournament in 2002 with a 28-14 win over New Zealand at Eden Park.
When the tournament returned to the sevens format, Wales defended their titles in 2018 and 2023, the latter being the first tournament to include a women’s competition – also won by Wales.
Despite the disappointment for the Welsh, the 2026 iteration in Japan proved to be a huge success for the tournament as a whole, both on and off the park, marking a significant increase in the number of teams taking part and a significant increase in the overall level of competition.
