![\"Team](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/USA-Women-VAN-SVNS-.jpg\" "\\"Team")
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Photo courtesy of USA Rugby<\/p>\n
As the HSBC SVNS Series arrives in the New York City metropolitan area this weekend at Sports Illustrated Stadium, it marks a rare opportunity for the United States women\u2019s national rugby sevens team to compete in front of a home crowd. For players like Ariana Ramsey and Kristi Kirshe, the stop carries extra meaning.<\/p>\n
For Ramsey, a Philadelphia native, the tournament brings a personal connection that most international stops cannot replicate.\n<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a really rare experience for us to play in our area of the United States,\u201d Ramsey told amNewYork. \u201cSo I\u2019m really excited to have all our family out. It\u2019s always fun having a home tournament. I\u2019m just excited to have my family out and play for them, and it brings a whole new level of energy.\u201d<\/p>\n
The HSBC SVNS circuit typically takes teams around the globe, limiting opportunities to play in front of American fans. This is the first time the sport will be played at its highest level in the NYC area.\u00a0Kirshe emphasized the significance of bringing elite international rugby to a region with deep rugby roots.<\/p>\n
\u201cNew York is the hub of so much culture,\u201d Kirshe said. \u201cAnd also the Northeast has a really strong rugby population, so to get to bring world-class rugby to this area is really exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n
For fans attending the HSBC SVNS Series stop this weekend, Kirshe says the experience will feel different from a traditional sporting event.\n<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s going to be different than any other sporting event,\u201d Kirshe said. \u201cWe play three games in a day, there are games every 20 minutes, you\u2019re going to see a new team run out to play their 14-minute long game. It\u2019s really dynamic\u2026 It\u2019s a party atmosphere.\u201d<\/p>\n
With the fast-paced format of rugby sevens, the action rarely slows, creating a festival-like atmosphere for fans while showcasing the speed and excitement that make the sport unique.<\/p>\n
![\"Ariana](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Ariana-Kristi-Kirshe-.jpg\" "\\"Team")
Ariana Ramsey and Kristi Kirshe (Photo courtesy of USA Rugby)<\/p>\n
While the focus this weekend is on the New York stop, both Ramsey and Kirshe also have their eyes on the future, specifically the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, where rugby sevens will be showcased on home soil.<\/p>\n
It is a golden opportunity to build on the momentum that the sport gained when the US squad shocked the world to win a bronze medal at the 2024 Games in Paris.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s so exciting,\u201d Kirshe said. \u201cEven going into [the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris], we were like, if we want to put rugby on the map in the U.S., the Olympics is our best opportunity to do it. We knew that going into Paris that we would be able to put rugby on the map by winning a medal, and I think we did a big part of that. But the opportunity to try and compete for a medal on home soil, I think that would just be huge for the game of rugby in general, especially in America.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Ramsey, the goal is clear as the team continues building toward that moment.\n<\/p>\n
\u201cOur goal is to get gold,\u201d Ramsey said. \u201cWe want to win. We\u2019re building every single tournament from here up until LA. Yes, it\u2019s far away, but we have a whole plan of what we\u2019re trying to do with each game and how we\u2019re getting better and growing as a team. Constantly building each game and trying to bring our best to every game so that we are ready for that moment when it\u2019s time to win gold.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Ramsey, Kirshe, and the rest of the U.S. squad, the New York stop is more than just another tournament. It\u2019s a chance to connect with home fans, showcase world-class rugby, and continue building momentum toward the moment when the Olympic spotlight returns to American soil.<\/p>\n
Fans interested in attending the HSBC SVNS Series New York stop this weekend can purchase tickets online here<\/a>.<\/p>\n