Ilona Maher Targets 2025 Rugby World Cup Opportunity
By Mohamed Bahaa
Influential rugby player and bronze medalist from Paris Olympics Ilona Maher has focused on joining the US team for the forthcoming Women's Rugby World Cup in England. With just one year left until the competition, World Rugby began the countdown to this elite event, generating buzz among players and supporters.
Maher has lately become somewhat famous as a social media rugby phenomenon. Her appeal has exploded on Instagram, having 3.8 million followers on Instagram, and 2.3 million followers on TikTok, surpassing even some of the most well-known rugby personalities. To show her reach even more, Maher's Instagram followers are over three times more than the reigning world champions, the Springboks, and 1.3 million more than the legendary All Blacks. All Blacks icon Dan Carter has 1.1 million followers, while Springboks captain Siya Kolisi has 1.3 million.
Maher has brought a new audience to rugby with her interesting and honest social media material. Her active internet presence drew in new fans who supported her during the USA's trip to Olympic bronze at the Paris Games. Many videos highlighted Maher's athletic ability matched to Chappel Roan's song "Femininomenon," thus deftly blending the ideas of femininity and phenomenon.
Aiming to capitalize on the squad's historic success in sevens, Maher recently announced her hopes to join the USA's 15s team for the Women's Rugby World Cup. On TikTok Maher said, "Do not fear my new rugby fans, there’s going to be some rugby for ya," Emphasizing the importance of the forthcoming World Cup, she said, "This is going to be absolutely major."
"This is rugby 15s, where what you were watching at the Olympics is rugby sevens. But that’s just so cool there’s so many forms of rugby for you to watch." she said, continuing to teach her fans about the several forms of the sport. "I’ll try to be there. I’m going to try to make that team, see if they can use me somewhere on that field."
“Ilona is without a doubt a superstar of these games. Full stop,” said World Rugby CEO Alan Gilpin. “She is rugby’s most followed athlete, has a following that’s greater than most, if not all, of the household names in Paris, and attracted an extra 300,000 Instagram and 100,000 TikTok followers overnight.”
Fans are keenly observing Maher as she gets ready for the next phase of her rugby career to see if she will once more leave her imprint on the world stage at the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup.
JUDY ROTICH