Ilona Maher says culture and mindset must change if rugby union is to develop as a sport.
With over 8 million followers on Instagram and TikTok, 28-year-old US international back Maher is the world’s most followed rugby player on social media.
She rose to fame on social media by combining messages of body positivity and female empowerment with her signature sharp sense of humour, and came second on Dancing with the Stars, America’s equivalent of Strictly Come Dancing.
Maher, who is currently playing Premiership women’s rugby with Bristol Bears on a three-month contract, is hoping to be part of the US World Cup squad in England later this year.
Maher’s influence
And she has already made quite an impact in the West Country, helping to attract a club record crowd for a women’s match when she made her debut against Gloucester-Hartpury at Ashton Gate.
“It’s great to have all these record numbers, but what we want is for them to keep coming back for the next game. Getting it done once and for all is not enough,” Maher said at a news conference attended by local, national and U.S. media.
“I’m sprinkling a little bit here. But we need people to keep coming. It’s not just me.
“Something special is happening in women’s sport and women’s rugby, not just in England but across the world. My message is that if you can get someone to experience rugby, great. I hope more people play and watch it.
Read more: ‘Pioneer’ showing the way, says World Rugby chief Ilona Maher.
“We are a very stoic sport in some ways. I’d like to see more personality in the men’s game.
“You see a little bit of that in guys like Joe Marler, but I can’t think of many other guys who have that. I wish they showed more of that.
“There is a culture in rugby that needs to change. It’s an amazing sport, but it’s also an old sport with the same thing happening for years.
“We keep talking about how to get young people into the game. Those people are online. If we want the sport to progress, we need to change our mindset.”
rugby world cup
England is set to host the biggest Women’s Rugby World Cup in August and September and is targeting a sold-out 82,000-capacity final at the Allianz Stadium.
Competitions will take place in a variety of venues from the North East to the South West, and two-time Olympian Maher added: “More women need to use this to get out there.
“I went to the Olympics knowing that people are made by the Olympics (she was a member of the U.S. 7s team). – Simone Biles, Michael Phelps.
“I went to Paris knowing there was an opportunity to make something of myself, and I went in with the plan to post a lot of videos. Can we go into the World Cup with a plan to help players upload more videos?
“I want to show that I can do both: play good rugby and post good videos. We all have a responsibility to take advantage of this World Cup.
“In America, where I come from, NFL football players are making millions of dollars when they sign their first contract. We always talked about getting sponsorship without knowing how to do it.
“I realized there was another way. I’m not signing a million dollar or six figure contract anywhere. We need to solve this problem in a different way.
social media use
“We need to do more. I’ve seen how useful social media can be and I think what sets the women’s game apart is that we’re comfortable showing our individuality.
“It seems like there are too many great players in the men’s game, but they don’t really show their individuality. “We need more people to watch our sport.”
Maher is already familiar with Cotswolds trips, roast dinners, sausage rolls and flat whites. Glastonbury, Cardiff and Scotland are also on her to-do list and her influence has proven significant.
“Putting yourself out there is how you connect with people,” she said. “If we say we want more money, we need to want more and put ourselves into it.
“If we want this to grow, it’s up to us. We need to do more. This is a simple fact.”
Read more: Ilona Maher ‘loves being a superstar’ as she looks to grow her game after signing with Bristol
