Joanne Fa’avesi targets 'Rugby revolution' in the United States after US women progress to Sevens semi-final

Joanne Fa’avesi represents two sides of the rugby world. As the daughter of Tongan immigrants, she was born into a traditional rugby household and it took little convincing for her to pick up an oval ball. And having grown up as an American up in California, she aims to play her part in a rugby revolution that will help make the game a truly global sport.

Nicknamed Nana, the 26-year-old was lost for words reflecting upon the noisy crowd in San Francisco’s AT&T Park for the Rugby World Cup Sevens, where the US women progressed to the final four, while more traditional rugby nations like England and Fiji fell in the opening round of the women’s tournament.

“I don’t think I can explain in words, it is amazing, have you been out there? Have you heard that crowd? It is crazy,” she said.

“They are probably the best crowd I have ever been able to step onto the field with. It is just ecstatic. The whole team loves that crowd and they are the majority of the reason we are bringing it out there.”

Despite having central contracts, many of the American women’s sevens players also hold time part-time jobs to make ends meet. But Fa’avesi, the youngest of seven children, has the luxury of training full time.

She serves in the US Army, and has a place on the prestigious prestigious US Army World Class Athlete Programme. Personnel are paid their military salary while training for the Olympics.

One star of the scheme is Kenyan-born American distance runner Paul Chelimo, who claimed silver behind Sir Mo Farah in the 5,000 metres at the Rio Olympics.

Before becoming a soldier, Fa’avesi was a member of the US women’s sevens side side that managed a respectable fifth place in Rio. She is surprised that her experience in San Francisco has been almost as exciting.

Breaking through the crowded US sporting market place and achieving the potential of rugby in America is a long-held ambition of World Rugby, and is one reason this tournament is being hosted in San Francisco. Most of the city seems oblivious to a World Cup on its doorstep, indicating the challenge ahead.

While the tournament is well-organised, it feels like the start of a long journey in the US. Football has long had mainstream media exposure – and a World Cup in 1994 – but is still regarded as something of a niche hipster sport.

Despite the US men A’s XV side claiming a famous win over Scotland last month, USA Rugby has suffered financial difficulties.

But there was a touch of sporting magic in how the San Francisco Giants’ baseball diamond could be transformed into a rugby pitch in less than a week. The setting close to the bay, with palms fringing the stadium, has created a unique atmosphere, with the not entirely unexpected pockets of dancing Argentines to singing Irish and brash Australians.

The Fijian fans have dominated large swathes of the crowd, like Fa’avesi and her Tongan family, representing the large Polynesian community on the west coast. But with these fans, tournament organisers are preaching to the converted.

There is a definite US fan presence who belt out “Born in the USA” before their men’s and women’s sides take to the pitch, but are these part of the small but extremely dedicated US rugby community or simply patriotic locals happy to cheer on the Stars and Stripes in a new sport?

Fa’avesi and her team-mates know they are playing their part in trying to win hearts and minds in rugby’s battle to be recognised. She says: “For my team and meI, this means a lot. The game is only going to grow that much more, with all the hard work we put in, showcasing it here in front of a home crowd.

“ This will open the door for more girls to play. I have a lot of nieces and I am proud to say our team and the women who came before are paving the way to make it a little bit easier.”