After that, World Rugby changed their format for the SVNS season, with eight teams in each division (men and women) playing in a series of tournaments, and then joined by the top four of a 2nd division for three tournaments with 12 teams. The USA SVNS event is the last of the six eight-team events.
The USA stop joins Dubai, Cape Town, Singapore, Perth, and Vancouver, before culminating in the Big Apple. New York will provide a fitting backdrop for the final round of the regular season, ahead of the HSBC SVNS World Championships, which takes place in Hong Kong, Valladolid (Spain) and Bordeaux (France).
Because of this, the USA men will not be in the event. There's a very good chance that they will play in some form in New York, but they are not in the eight-team SVNS Series, and are instead competing in another series of tournaments to qualify for those last three World Championship events.
Tickets for HSBC SVNS New York will go on sale on Thursday December 4tfor limited club seats and 2-Day passes, with single day tickets going on sale in January. Fans can register for more information and early ticket sales opportunities at this link: https://usasvns.com/new-york-presale
World Rugby Chief Executive Alan Gilpin said: “We are thrilled to bring the HSBC SVNS series to New York, one of the world’s most iconic cities, for the first time. The city’s energy and the passion of U.S. rugby fans make this the perfect stage for our athletes to showcase the speed, skill, and energy of sevens rugby. We look forward to creating an unforgettable experience for fans, players, and the broader rugby community as we continue to grow the sport in the United States."
HSBC SVNS New York will take place at Sports Illustrated Stadium, home to Major League Soccer’s New York Red Bulls and the National Women’s Soccer League’s Gotham FC. SI Stadium will welcome rugby sevens to its pitch for the first time. Fans in New York will be able to experience the festival of rugby that is HSBC SVNS for the first time, with thrilling moments on the pitch and a carnival of energy and entertainment off it, the city that never sleeps is the perfect place to host this event.
Christoph Schoenbeck, Head of Stadium Events at Sports Illustrated Stadium, said: "We're excited to host HSBC SVNS at Sports Illustrated Stadium. Rugby sevens is such an exciting, fast-paced sport which fans in our area will love to see. We can't wait to host the festival of rugby sevens."
USA Women’s National Team player and New Yorker, Su Adegoke shared her excitement about the news: “I’m speechless! New York and sevens are the same… fast paced, intense, and everyone brings their own style. As a NYC native, getting to see this happen feels unreal. I would have never seen this coming. My dream was to make it onto an SVNS Series stop, and now the SVNS Series stop is coming to me. Fans should be excited to experience the city that never sleeps. The late-night chopped cheese, street and subway performers, pizza, Times Square, the nightlife, and especially the bodegas!”
The participating teams in HSBC SVNS New York are:
Women: Australia, Canada, Fiji, France, Great Britain, Japan, New Zealand, USA
Men: Argentina, Australia, Fiji, France, Great Britain, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain
TEG Rugby Live Managing Director Stephen Cottrell said: “We’re incredibly excited to bring the HSBC SVNS Series to New York. Working with World Rugby to grow the game in the United States has been a fantastic endeavor, and we’re delighted to take the next step in that partnership by bringing the HSBC SVNS to the east coast, and to one of the world’s greatest cities.”
