At a time when rugby union has trouble finding its way among a series of other disciplines, stars like Ilona Maher does wonders for sport, and in particular the female game.
“We are a very stoic sport,” said Maher earlier this year, speaking at a press conference.
“There is a rugby culture that we have to change.
“It’s an incredible sport, but also an old sport where the same things have happened for years.
“We continue to talk about bringing young people into the game. These people are online.
“We have to change our state of mind if sport will evolve.”
Bristol Bears Ilona Maher is preparing to play against Australia this week for the American team
The Rugby Union star, which has more than 4.9 million followers on Instagram, stormed the world
Maher also appeared on television, being the first rugby player to appear on Dancing With The Stars, finishing as a finalist in November 2024
Maher hit the nail on the head. Sport is wading with its profile and marketing, and the news of this week that the Irish team of Sevens, which finished second in the world series of Sevens 2023-24 was bent due to financial constraints, is revealing.
However, Maher, unstoppable in the field and electrification, is an excellent example of how sport and the stars inside, can develop their profiles to help put rugby on the world stage.
The star of social media, television and rugby has become one of the most popular athletes on the planet and is the most followed player in rugby on social networks.
She also ranked ahead of Lewis Hamilton and even Jude Bellingham in the Les 50 most marketable in Sportspro in 2024.
The 28 -year -old American superstar has 4.9 million followers on Instagram is more than tastes of Antoine Dupont and Siya Kolisi combined – two of the most popular stars of World Rugby.
Even looking further, Maher has more followers than the LNR Reece Walsh superstar, by a long way, and even blows stars footy Nick Daicos and Bailey Smith in the water.
Born in Burlington Vermont, Maher is one of the most charismatic figures of rugby. His social media accounts are stacked with hilarious clips and Maher coils giving fans an overview of the life of an elite rugby player.
Maher also made several appearances on television, becoming the first rugby player to participate in Dancing with the Stars, where she finished second in November 2024.
The rugby star started playing Sevens for Team USA, but is now looking to win a place to play in the Women’s Rugby World Cup this year
Last summer, Maher also helped the United States winning a bronze medal by beating Australia during the third-place qualifiers in Paris
During this series, she said that she thought her impressive physique was hidden, but said that she wanted to show her muscles.
“I felt like I was slightly covered; That they thought that a larger girl can want something more modest, and I said to myself: “No! If the 100 lb girl is naked, I want to be naked. Less fabric!”, She told Marie Claire Uk.
She had also struck poses for the edition of Sports Swimsuit illustrated earlier that year and now organizes a podcast called The House of Maher.
Evidence of its popularity was clearly indicated earlier this year, after Maher moved from the United States to join Bristol Bears.
Before the Women’s Rugby World Cup later this year, Maher, who mainly played seven for states in the past, is qualifying for a position in the USA XV team.
And in January, around 9,000 fans proved to be looking at her to make her debut in Ashton Gate for Bristol in the post of women’s Prime Minister. It is 4,000 more than the previous attendance of women from Bristol.
But his next follow -up did not come without much hard work.
“I put my blood, my sweat and my tears in the construction of this platform for myself and sometimes I feel used for that, which is never fun,” said the sportswoman, who made Time Time100 magazine in 2024.
Maher now uses his platform to help develop female sport and has encouraged other women’s stars to jump in creating social media content alongside their sport
Maher has also increased to become one of the most popular athletes in the world for his social media afterwards, the rugby star who appeared on Sports illustration’s Swimsuit Edition Edition
The president of the World Rugby, Brett Robinson, also talked about his enthusiasm to welcome Maher under this year, noting his platform and his profile worldwide compared to some of the largest stars in Australian sport, including the LNR star, Reece Walsh (left)
The 28-year-old superstar had previously played hockey on the field, basketball and softball in high school, but began playing rugby at university, before joining the Quinnipiac bobcats.
She would move to play in the centers and won three national championships of the intercollial rugby association before entering seven, making her debut on the international scene for the United States in 2018.
It would represent the side at the 2020 summer Olympic Games, marking three tries to see the United States finish in sixth. But in 2024, she would come back to appear at the Paris Olympic Games, helping her team seal the victory in a third third place against Australia, to win a bronze medal.
The 28 -year -old center has also made the headlines of the summer games for its hilarious social media clips showing what life looked like for competitors in the village of athletes, especially sports icons, especially Simone Biles.
“I entered the Olympic Games knowing that people are made by him – Simone Biles, Michael Phelps. I knew that my personality would be different. I went to Paris knowing that I had the chance to do myself and I went with a plan to publish a lot of videos, “she said.
“It’s a vulnerable thing to put you online like me. It’s hard. But putting you there is the way you get links with people. It is up to us to continue to build our sport.
“We have to do more. Can we enter the World Cup with a plan for players to publish more videos? I want to show that you can do both – play the right rugby and publish good videos.
“More women need to use social media to get started.
Maher said she took full advantage of the 2024 Olympic Games to develop her social media profile
She added: “We have to do more. Can we enter the World Cup with a plan for players to publish more videos? I want to show that you can do both – play the right rugby and publish good videos.
Now Maher is preparing for a trip below, having been appointed to the United States team XV in the direction of playing in the next Pacific Four series.
America started its series last week, Maher starting outside the center during his 14-26 defeat by Canada. They should now face Australia on Saturday May 17 before taking New Zealand in the southern hemisphere.
And given Maher’s enormous profile in the world, his presence in Australia is undoubtedly about to increase the number of eyes on the series of this year.
“Having Ilona in town is also very special for rugby and the women’s rugby space in general,” said Wallaroos star Michaela Leonard.
“ She did an incredible job breaking the barriers and breaking the stereotypes of what it means to be a female athlete, what it means to be strong and powerful, but also intelligent and to maintain this feminine side.
“I think she is an incredible example for young girls, young boys, men, women, around the world in the way we consider people and how we can change perceptions.
“An opportunity to see someone like that and, I suppose, feel the presence she also has, is really exciting.
“ See the wallaroos and how we do it against them and also close it on the field will be an impressive opportunity (for fans). So go ahead and get around.
The popularity of Maher was exposed after the Rugby Union star arrived in Bristol in January, with a record of 9,000 fans who show up to watch her play
World rugby can learn a lot from Maher at a time when sport has trouble developing its profile
The president of World Rugby, Brett Robinson, also talked about his enthusiasm to welcome Maher under this year, noting his platform and his profile worldwide compared to some of the largest stars in Australian sport.
“A rugby league player called Reece Walsh praising that he had just launched a YouTube platform for himself and that he has nearly 500,000 subscribers,” said Robinson.
“I just want Reece to know that he was Maher, who plays for the American Eagles and for the Bristol Bears, has more than four million followers around the world, and that demonstrates the scale of our game and the connection, especially with the women of our game.”
Sport, however, faces a difficult period with its profile and its finances. This has become even clearer in recent days when the Ireland Male Sevens team, which ended the second in the world series SVNS in 2023-24, fell back due to financial problems.
But rugby, its players – men and women – and its power brokers can learn a lot from the inspiring journey of Maher.
“For women, our contracts must play in the field. But it will not make you live comfortable either. This is why we have to do more out of the field, ”she said.
“I would like to see more personalities in the male game. You see him a little with a player like Joe Marler, but I can’t think of many others who have that. I want them to be able to show more.
“This is where the female game can stand out a little.”
