Ilona Maher: Why rugby’s latest superstar is ‘critical’ for the development of the sport

It has been some Olympic Games for USA women’s star Ilona Maher and not just because she won bronze in Rugby Sevens but also because her online popularity has sky-rocketed while in Paris.

In the space of the last week, Maher reached the 1 million followers mark on Instagram, then continued to grow becoming the most followed player on the platform, surpassing Siya Kolisi and Antoine Dupont in the process. It did not stop there either as she has now reached 2 million and is very close to doing the same on TikTok while also winning a medal all at the same time.

Maher’s content is light-hearted, funny and refreshing in how she conveys life as a female rugby player and more recently as an Olympian, with her reels about being in the Olympic Village particularly enjoyable.

She has absolutely hit the nail on the head with it and uses her growing platform to touch on pressing issues like body positivity amongst other things.

Growing the game

The American revealed her social media focus started with the goal of getting “eyes” on the sport that is still growing in her country.

“First, it was a way to get my message out there, a way to get my team out there,” Maher told the Guardian. “Especially in Tokyo, it worked to [encourage] people to tune in to our sport, get eyes on our sport. Then, personally, it’s become a brand-building thing.

“I’m a female athlete in a sport that’s not very big, especially in America. It’s not a money-making sport …. I want to make sports a career and I don’t think many women can think that way.”

Olympic Rugby Sevens: New Zealand win Gold as Canada beaten while USA claim stunning Bronze

Maher has situated herself as one of the most important figures in the sport and has a unique opportunity to be a central component of growing the game in the US, which is absolutely critical with the men’s and women’s World Cup in the country in 2031 and 2033 respectively.

“It is really important to have a profile, and a profile for our sport,” Maher said. “It’s about building the brand. We are female rugby players – we’re not getting million dollar contracts, we’re not getting paid the money that we should be.

“Me and my friends are keen on getting the sport out there and getting us noticed. It’s important in the US where so much attention is on other sports. And I think it’s just about showing the personality that the women have. The game is very strong, not just for men, but for women too.”

A different game

Rugby is changing from days gone by with the women’s game in both sevens and XVs well and truly on the rise as the record-breaking crowd at the Olympics showed. That is on the back of more records tumbling every season.

Maher is more than just a dancing TikToker. Instead, she is a symbol of the modern game that pushes for togetherness and inclusivity. She is a superstar the sport so desperately needs.

READ MORE: USA’s Ilona Maher surpasses Siya Kolisi as the most followed active rugby player on Instagram