Rugby union has been played at the Asian Games since the 1998 games in Bangkok, Thailand. In the 1998 and 2002 editions of the games, both the usual fifteen-a-side variety and rugby sevens were played, but from 2006 onwards, only rugby sevens was retained. In 2010, the women's rugby sevens event was introduced. The event is likely to remain a permanent fixture of the Asian Games due to elevation of rugby sevens as an Olympic sport from the 2016 Olympics onwards.^[1]

Summary

Men's union

Year	Host		Final				Third place match
			Winner	Score	Runner-up		3rd place	Score	4th place
1998 details	Bangkok		South Korea	21–17	Japan		Chinese Taipei	38–20	Sri Lanka
2002 details	Busan		South Korea	No playoffs	Japan		Chinese Taipei	No playoffs	Sri Lanka

Men's sevens

Year	Host		Final				Third place match
			Winner	Score	Runner-up		3rd place	Score	4th place
1998 details	Bangkok		South Korea	29–14	Japan		Thailand	19–5	Chinese Taipei
2002 details	Busan		South Korea	33–21	Chinese Taipei		Thailand	17–14	Japan
2006 details	Doha		Japan	27–26	South Korea		China	19–12	Chinese Taipei
2010 details	Guangzhou		Japan	28–21	Hong Kong		South Korea	21–14	China
2014 details	Incheon		Japan	24–12	Hong Kong		South Korea	17–14	Sri Lanka
2018 details	Jakarta–Palembang		Hong Kong	14–0	Japan		South Korea	36–14	Sri Lanka
2022 details	Hangzhou		Hong Kong	14–7	South Korea		Japan	21–19	China

Women's sevens

Year	Host		Final				Third place match
			Winner	Score	Runner-up		3rd place	Score	4th place
2010 details	Guangzhou		Kazakhstan	17–14	China		Thailand	17–12 aet	Hong Kong
2014 details	Incheon		China	14–12	Japan		Kazakhstan	12–0	Hong Kong
2018 details	Jakarta–Palembang		Japan	7–5	China		Kazakhstan	29–7	Thailand
2022 details	Hangzhou		China	22–21	Japan		Hong Kong	7–5	Thailand

Medal table

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Japan (JPN)	4	6	1	11
2	South Korea (KOR)	4	2	3	9
3	China (CHN)	2	2	1	5
	Hong Kong (HKG)	2	2	1	5
5	Kazakhstan (KAZ)	1	0	2	3
6	Chinese Taipei (TPE)	0	1	2	3
7	Thailand (THA)	0	0	3	3
Totals (7 entries)		13	13	13	39

Participating nations

Men's union

Team	1998	2002	Years
Chinese Taipei	3rd	3rd	2
Japan	2nd	2nd	2
Kazakhstan	5th		1
South Korea	1st	1st	2
Sri Lanka	4th	4th	2
Thailand	5th		1
Number of teams	6	4

Men's sevens

Team	1998	2002	2006	2010	2014	2018	2022	Years
Afghanistan						9th	12th	2
China		5th	3rd	4th	6th	6th	4th	6
Chinese Taipei	4th	2nd	4th		8th	7th	8th	6
Hong Kong	5th	7th	5th	2nd	2nd	1st	1st	7
Independent Athletes							10th	1
India			8th	7th				2
Indonesia						11th		1
Japan	2nd	4th	1st	1st	1st	2nd	3rd	7
Kazakhstan	6th							1
Lebanon					10th			1
Malaysia		7th		5th	9th	5th	6th	5
Mongolia				9th				1
Nepal							13th	1
Pakistan					11th	10th		2
Philippines					5th		9th	2
Qatar			9th					1
Saudi Arabia					12th			1
Singapore							7th	1
South Korea	1st	1st	2nd	3rd	3rd	3rd	2nd	7
Sri Lanka	7th	6th	6th	6th	4th	4th	DQ	6
Thailand	3rd	3rd	7th	8th	7th	8th	11th	7
United Arab Emirates						12th	5th	2
Number of teams	7	8	9	9	12	12	13

Women's sevens

Team	2010	2014	2018	2022	Years
China	2nd	1st	2nd	1st	4
Hong Kong	4th	4th	5th	3rd	4
India	7th			7th	2
Indonesia			8th		1
Japan	5th	2nd	1st	2nd	4
Kazakhstan	1st	3rd	3rd	5th	4
Laos		10th			1
Malaysia		8th			1
Singapore	6th	6th	6th	6th	4
South Korea	8th	9th	7th		3
Thailand	3rd	5th	4th	4th	4
Uzbekistan		7th			1
Number of teams	8	10	8	7

List of medalists