Raucous Stade de France Atmosphere Energizes U.S. Women’s Rugby Team – Quarterfinal Versus Great Britain Up Next

PARIS – It had the electricity and anticipation of an NFL playoff game. If you closed your eyes as the U.S. women’s rugby team took the Stade de France field to clash against France, you could almost imagine a Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers playoff battle at Lambeau Field. Never mind the sunny skies and mid-80s degree afternoon temperature.

Sixty-nine thousand fans packed the largest stadium in France for a preliminary round rugby sevens game, most of whom were vociferously urging on, naturally, the home team. 

“This was another level today, it’s insane, I love it,” said 24-year-old Ariana Ramsey, asked if she’s ever played in a game atmosphere as witnessed today. 

“I heard the crowd chanting ‘Allez Les Bleus,’ but we’re wearing blue too,” she joked.

“The atmosphere, in general, has been amazing, but today was the biggest crowd that we ever played in front of and you can definitely feel that atmosphere on the field,” said U.S. back Ilona Maher. 

Despite the perceived hostile atmosphere greeting the 12 U.S. women, Team USA got off to an auspicious start with an early try by Maher to open the scoring, just 2:30 into the contest. Kayla Cannett made the conversion to give the stars and stripes an early 7-0 lead.

However, about three minutes later, France’s powerful, dynamic and bruising 5-foot-10, 172-pound Seraphine Okemba began to dominate the game. She sliced and charged through the U.S. defenders, scoring two tries in a short span of 1:30 to give France the halftime lead, 10-7. Even San Francisco 49ers fullback Christian McCaffrey would have been impressed.

“She was a beast today – a great player, absolutely amazing,” Ramsey said.

Okemba would prove to be too much for the U.S. women in the second half also. The rugby sevens locomotive added her third try 1:30 into the second half and helped France seal the victory with a late try, having scored four of five total, 20 points, for ‘Les Bleus.’

“She’s on fire – she’s so good, I’m a huge fan of hers,” said U.S. veteran and team captain Naya Tapper, heaping praise on her French opponent, Okemba. “She is not someone that want to be across from and I had to be across from her every time, so that was a great challenge for me. She’s such a great player, a hard runner to stop.”

Team USA mounted a late surge as Tapper – who will hang up her Team USA cleats after the Olympic Games Paris 2024 tournament – exploded a try of her own, followed by a conversion, with 1:33 left in the game. It cut the score to 24-14. 

One more late U.S. march would be denied by France, and then Okemba went the distance of the Stade de France field, sending most of the stadium into euphoria. Team USA players were supported and cheered on by friends and family attending the match, although their chants of encouragement were a bit drowned out.

“We’re a team that if we keep the ball we’ll win the game - we had moments in there where our B (backs) weren’t quick enough to secure the ball in the ruck,” said Tapper. “We have to go back to the drawing board and see where we can tidy it up.”

“It was just one of those things that we need to find that earlier – we had the momentum in the first half, but a few mistakes in a row gave them all the momentum,” Maher said. “Coming back in the end proves that we do have it in us, but we just have to find it sooner”

Team USA entered the contest against France, riding the momentum of consecutive victories over Japan (36-7), and Brazil (24-5), during Sunday’s opening day of matches. Perhaps the loss to their French foes will serve as a bit of a helpful wake-up call. 

The U.S. defeat at the hands and legs of France may have been a blessing in disguise providing the ladies with a jolt heading into their elimination round quarterfinal match versus Great Britain, 9.30 p.m. local time at the Stade de France. 

Maher summed up the 31-14 defeat to France, taking positives out of the losing result: “I think coming off that it was the best thing that could have happened to us – we got smacked in the face a bit, but we’re going thru to the quarters and I think it gives us a lot of motivation to bounce back tonight.”

Ramsey highlighted the team’s traits that they bring to the Olympic Games Paris 2024, asked what has changed from the assembled squad at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 – a team that finished a disappointing sixth.

“We’ve definitely grown – we’re a way faster, fitter, stronger team and it shows,” Ramsey said.

If the U.S. can knock off their fellow English-speaking rivals under the lights at Stade de France, it will be onward to the semifinals and medal games to be played on Tuesday, July 30, culminating the three-day Olympic tournament.

“We’re targeting gold, but no matter happens, I think we’re doing a lot for rugby in the U.S. and that is something that we really pride ourselves on," said Maher.