2003–04 ARFU Asian Rugby Series

1st Asian Rugby Series

Tournament details
Date	18 April 2003– 30 June 2004
Teams	12 countries
Final positions
Champions	South Korea
Runner-up	Japan
Tournament statistics
Matches played	30
2005 →

Main article: ARFU Asian Rugby Series

The 2003–04 ARFU Asian Rugby Series was the first edition of a tournament created by Asian Rugby Football Union for national teams. The formula was in two step. The 12 teams were divided in three pool of three, then, according to the results of the first round, in four pool in order to define the ranking.^[1]

Tournament

First round

Pool A

18 April 2003

Sri Lanka	25–48	Arabian Gulf

Colombo

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20 April 2003

Arabian Gulf	5–79	Japan XV

Kandy

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22 April 2003

Sri Lanka	8–36	Japan XV

Colombo

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11 October 2003

Sri Lanka	22–36	Hong Kong

Kandy

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19 October 2003

Junior Japan	90–5	Hong Kong

Heidawai Stadium, Fukuoka

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9 May 2004

Hong Kong	12–5	Arabian Gulf

Hong Kong

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Ranking: 1. Japan 2. Hong Kong 3. Arabian Gulf 4. Sri Lanka

Pool B

21 June 2003

Malaysia	0–54	Taiwan

Kuala Lumpur

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21 June 2003

Singapore	71–0	India

Singapore

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24 June 2003

Malaysia	20–13	India

Singapore

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28 June 2003

Singapore	31–13	Malaysia

Singapore

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28 June 2003

India	10–61	Taiwan

Kolkata

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6 December 2003

Taiwan	19–6	Singapore

Taipei

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Ranking: 1. Chinese Taipei 2. Singapore 3. Malaysia 4. India

Pool C

12 October 2003

Kazakhstan	56–17	Thailand

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16 October 2003

China	37–10	Kazakhstan

Beijing

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20 October 2003

South Korea	45–19	Kazakhstan

Seoul

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16 November 2003

Thailand	23–34	China

Bangkok

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18 November 2003

South Korea	63–9	China

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20 November 2003

Thailand	8–68	South Korea

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Ranking: 1. South Korea 2. China 3. Kazakhstan 4. Thailand

Final round

"Gold" (1st-3rd place)

9 May 2004

Taiwan	9–67	Junior Japan

Taipei

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16 May 2004

Japan	19–19	South Korea

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22 May 2004

South Korea	99–18	Taiwan

Seoul

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Ranking :

• 1.  South Korea
• 2.  Japan
• 3.  Taiwan (relegated in division 2 of 2005 ARFU Asian Rugby Series)

Plate (4th-6th places)

22 May 2004

Singapore	14–47	Hong Kong

Hong Kong

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5 June 2004

Hong Kong	27–9	China

Hong Kong

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12 June 2004

China	24–24	Singapore

Shanghai

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Ranking :

• 4.  Hong Kong (Promoted in division 1 of 2005 ARFU Asian Rugby Series)
• 5.  China
• 6.  Singapore (relegated in division 3 of 2005 ARFU Asian Rugby Series)

Bowl (7th-9th place)

9 April 2004

Arabian Gulf	14–13	Kazakhstan

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7 May 2004

Malaysia	3–48	Arabian Gulf

Kuala Lumpur

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15 May 2004

Kazakhstan	44–19	Malaysia

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Ranking :

• 7. Arabian Gulf (Promoted in division 2 of 2005 ARFU Asian Rugby Series)
• 8.  Kazakhstan (in division 3 of 2005 ARFU Asian Rugby Series)
• 9.  Malaysia (in division 3 of 2005 ARFU Asian Rugby Series)

Shield (10th-12th place)

22 June 2004

Sri Lanka	54–17	India

Mumbai

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26 June 2004

Thailand	86–12	India

Bangkok

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30 June 2004

Sri Lanka	35–14	Thailand

Colombo

---

• 10.  Sri Lanka (in division 3 of 2005 ARFU Asian Rugby Series)
• 11.  Thailand (in division 3 of 2005 ARFU Asian Rugby Series)
• 12.  Indonesia (in division 3 of 2005 ARFU Asian Rugby Series)

References

1. "Rugby in Asia | History of the Game in Asia". Asia Rugby. Retrieved 2021-12-12.