Oman secure first-ever victory at Asian Rugby

MUSCAT, OCT 25
The Oman national rugby team achieved a historic milestone by securing its first-ever victory in the championship, defeating Palestine 22–7 on the opening day of the Asian Rugby Emirates Sevens Trophy, hosted by the Sultanate of Oman on October 25–26 at the Royal Oman Police Stadium in Al Wattayah. The tournament features 18 teams representing 15 Asian nations and is organised under the supervision of the Oman Rugby Committee. The event concludes on Sunday, under the auspices of His Highness Sayyid Azzan bin Qais al Said, President of the Oman Olympic Committee.
OPENING DAY RESULTS
The opening day witnessed intense and exciting matches among participating teams. Oman began its campaign with a 0–24 loss to Jordan, before bouncing back to claim a 22–7 win over Palestine, marking the country’s first-ever rugby victory.
In other matches: Iran defeated Iraq 26–0, Saudi Arabia beat Kyrgyzstan 22–0, Afghanistan edged Lebanon 14–12, Qatar overcame Palestine 29–0, Bahrain routed Iraq 45–0, Kazakhstan dominated Kyrgyzstan 44–0, Uzbekistan beat Lebanon 14–10, Jordan topped Qatar 17–5, Bahrain edged Iran 21–19, and Kazakhstan triumphed over Saudi Arabia 27–0. Matches continue on Sunday from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm.
ORGANISATIONAL READINESS
Oman earned the Asian Rugby Federation’s trust to host this edition thanks to its strong organisational capabilities and world-class sports infrastructure, notably the Royal Oman Police Stadium in Al Wattayah. Over the past months, the Oman Rugby Committee has completed all logistical and technical preparations related to venues, accommodations and facilities in compliance with Asian Rugby and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) standards, as well as international medical requirements.
DEVELOPMENT VISION
By hosting this championship, the Oman Rugby Committee aims to promote rugby culture locally and introduce the sport in schools through collaboration with the Ministry of Education, offering students free entry to matches to help them learn the rules and inspire participation.
The committee has also developed a strategic plan to train Omani coaches and referees with Asian Rugby’s support and to build partnerships with regional and international federations to exchange expertise and develop technical and administrative competencies, laying a solid foundation for Omani rugby’s future competitiveness.
The committee emphasised that the successful organisation of this event represents a first step toward hosting larger regional and global tournaments, positioning Oman as a rising sporting destination in Asia and internationally. This contributes to enhancing Oman’s global sports reputation and achieving significant benefits for Omani sports in general and rugby in particular.
ASIAN REFEREEING EXCELLENCE
A diverse panel of Asian referees is officiating the tournament, including nine main referees (three women and six men) from seven countries, and four assistant referees from four countries, under the supervision of internationally accredited technical evaluators.
Among the key referees are: Ayman Grigi (Saudi Arabia), Thomas Ngan (Hong Kong), Ravin Alexander and Ishanka Abeykoon (Sri Lanka), Liu Wei Liang and Adeline Choo (Singapore), Lawrence Ishuga (UAE), Priya Bansal (India), and Joanna Bezuidenhout (Qatar).
Technical evaluation is overseen by Simon Daoud (UAE) and Anil Jayasinghe (Sri Lanka), reflecting the Asian Rugby Federation’s commitment to advancing refereeing standards and nurturing emerging talent.