The presence of American broadcasters is not a common sight at English club rugby press conferences, but the CNN cameras were rolling at a packed Bristol Bears media gathering on Wednesday as the sport’s highest-profile superstar held court.
‘Hello everyone,’ said Ilona Maher, entering the room with her arms raised wide. ‘I was expecting an applause.’
For 40 minutes, the USA ace was the center of attention. She is used to that.
Maher – rugby’s most followed player on social media – is daring the sport she plays to change. In just a matter of weeks with Bristol, she has taken England’s Premiership Women’s Rugby to a whole new level.
Maher has 8million followers on Instagram and TikTok combined, more than Siya Kolisi and Antoine Dupont – who are the biggest names in the men’s game – put together. She is, undoubtedly, a force for good for a game struggling to find its place in sporting society both on these shores and around the globe.
‘We’re a very stoic sport,’ Maher said. ‘There is a culture in rugby we need to shift. It’s an amazing sport, but also an old sport where the same things have been happening for years. We keep talking about getting young people into the game. Those people are online. We have to shift our mindset if the sport is going to evolve.
Ilona Maher has swapped Hollywood for England to play for the Bears in women’s rugby
The US icon is fresh from finishing second on the most recent series of Dancing With The Stars
‘For women, our contracts are to play on the field. But that’s also not going to make you have a comfortable living. That’s why we have to do more off the field.
‘I would love to see more personalities in the men’s game. You see it a little bit with a player like Joe Marler, but I can’t think of many others who have that. I wish they could show that more. That’s where the women’s game can breakaway a little bit.’
Maher is certainly doing that. She has played at two Olympics in sevens, winning a bronze medal with the USA in Paris last summer.
Her appearance in Hollywood on Dancing with the Stars, where she finished as runner-up, took her popularity to a whole new level. Now, she his bringing her personality – both with ball in hand and online – to England.
Her impact, even in a matter of weeks, has been astonishing.
Bristol moved Maher’s debut to Ashton Gate where they had a crowd in excess of 9,000 – 4,000 more than their previous best.
The Bears’ social media accounts have exploded in popularity. So too have the broadcast figures on TNT Sports and on the channels of the PWR.
Maher takes photos with fans after making her debut for Bristol Bears earlier this month
Maher poses for a photo with her Olympic medal after shooting to fame in Paris
It all represents hugely encouraging growth for the female game ahead of England hosting the Women’s World Cup later this year.
‘More women need to use social media to get themselves out there,’ said Maher, who has embraced her three-month deal in England with trips to the Cotswolds and roast dinners and sausage rolls. A flat white, rather than an iced latte, is now her coffee of choice.
Maher continued: ‘I went into the Olympics knowing people are made by it – Simone Biles, Michael Phelps. I knew my personality would be different. I went into Paris knowing I had the chance to make myself and went in with a plan to post loads of videos.
‘It is a vulnerable thing to put yourself online like I do. It is tough. But putting yourself out there is how you get connections with people. It is on us to keep building our sport.
‘We need to do more. Can we go into the World Cup with a plan for players to post more videos? I want to show you can do both – play good rugby and post good videos.
The Olympic medalist is the face of multiple brand and insists she is ‘more than a rugby player’
‘That’s what I love about the Bristol. They understand that. We all have a responsibility to capitalize on this World Cup.
‘It’s great having all these record numbers, but what we want is for the fans to keep on coming back for the next game. One and done is not enough. I’m sprinkling a little bit here. But we need people to keep coming. It can’t just be me alone doing it.’
Maher hopes her stint with Bristol will put her in position to make the USA’s 15-a-side team for the World Cup. Intriguingly, America are tournament favorite England’s first opponents in the opener at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light on August 22.
Maher scored her first Bristol try in a victory over Exeter last weekend and is set for her second Bears start against Leicester on Saturday.
Bristol shirts with Maher’s name on the back are flying out the door. Pre-printing of jerseys with names hasn’t been done at the Bears before.
Bristol’s Women’s Instagram and TikTok accounts have grown from 21,000 and 1,200 to 87,000 and 54,000 respectively since Maher joined the club.
‘I would be open to coming back,’ she said. ‘I’ve wanted to play here for a while. The three months is quite nice because it’s a bit like a trial period. I get to see if I like it.
Maher waves to the home crowd after the Bears moved to a bigger stadium for the game
‘I want to grow my fan base. I am a rugby player, but I am also so much bigger than that so I want to branch out into different areas. I’d like to see if I can do that here, but also America has a lot of opportunities. I would be interested in playing here more.
‘If I’m what gets someone to experience rugby, then great. I want more people to play and watch. If one of us rises, we all can rise. If we want the women’s game to grow and we want more money, it is on us. We have to do more – that is just the simple fact of it.
‘I’ve seen how useful social media can be. There is something special happening not just in England, but around the world in women’s sport and women’s rugby.’
There is indeed and for a large part of that, rugby has Maher to thank.
