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Ilona Maher, a 28-year-old sevens rugby player from the United States, may not be the best rugby player in the world according to her own admission. However, her magnetic personality and social media presence have made her rugby’s biggest online star. Her funny and sassy posts on body positivity, femininity, and Olympic village flirting have helped her gain eight million followers and counting, making her the sport’s great unicorn. Maher has been featured on Sports Illustrated and Forbes, and recently finished second in Dancing with the Stars.
Maher’s increasing popularity is a breath of fresh air for rugby’s current situation, where demographic collapse and the need to target a younger audience are pressing issues. Maher is a social media Jonah Lomu, setting the example for her fellow rugby players to follow. She admits that being a successful women’s rugby player requires ten times more effort off the field, particularly in self-promotion on social media, due to the lack of funding compared to male players. However, her growing platform shows that rugby players who put in that extra effort can achieve great success.
Maher’s journey continues as she joins Bristol Bears in Premiership Women’s Rugby in January for a three-month contract. She will also play in the Rugby World Cup in August when the United States takes on England in a blockbuster tournament opener. While it may be a learning curve for Maher on the pitch, her influence on her fellow players and fans is already undeniable. She believes that rugby needs to get involved in the self-promotional social media hustle to bring in new players. Maher hopes that while her personality may bring spectators to rugby matches, their love for the game will make them stay.
Maher is not the best rugby player in the world and she knows it. However, her magnetic personality and social media presence have made her rugby’s biggest online star. She is a role model and an inspiration to many, showing that with hard work and dedication to a cause, success is achievable. Her story is proof that social media can shape a person’s destiny, and that rugby players who put in that extra effort can inspire a new generation of fans and players alike. Maher’s influence on the game and the social media world continues to grow, and her journey is far from over
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