Social media sensation Ilona Maher says rugby union needs to undergo a culture change if the sport is to attract new fans.
Maher, who won bronze in rugby sevens with the United States at the 2024 Paris Olympics, has more than eight million followers on Instagram and TikTok, making her the most followed rugby player in the world. world.
She was also a finalist in the most recent series of the American television show “Dancing With The Stars”.
Maher, 28, has signed a three-month contract with English women’s Premiership team Bristol, hoping to be part of the U.S. squad for the Women’s Rugby World Cup in England later this year.
The versatile full-back has already made her presence felt, helping to attract a record crowd to Bristol for a women’s match when she made her debut against Gloucester-Hartpury at Ashton Gate.
And she marked her first start for Bristol by scoring a spectacular try to inspire a 41-31 victory over south-west rivals Exeter on Sunday.
“It’s great to have all these record numbers, but what we want is for them to come back for the next game,” Maher said at a news conference Wednesday.
“One time isn’t enough. I’ll sprinkle a little in here. But we need people to keep coming. It’s not just me alone.”
– ‘Stoic sport’ –
Maher urged rugby to break the chains it has placed on itself, saying: “We are a very stoic sport in a way. I would like to see more personalities in the men’s game.
“You see it a bit with a player like (former England prop) Joe Marler, but I can’t think of many others who have that. I wish they could show it more.
“There is a culture in rugby that we need to change. It’s an incredible sport, but also an old sport where the same things have been happening for years.
“We continue to discuss how we can get young people involved in the game. These people are online. We need to change our mindset if we want the sport to evolve.”
England is set to host the biggest Women’s World Cup in August and September, with organizers aiming for a sold-out final for 82,000 spectators at Twickenham, the home of English rugby union.
“More women need to use it to put themselves out there,” Maher said. “I went to the Olympics (she was on the US rugby sevens team) knowing that people were made of that – (gymnast) Simone Biles, (swimmer) Michael Phelps.
“I arrived in Paris knowing I had the chance to flourish and I went there with the intention of posting a lot of videos. Can we approach the World Cup with a plan for players to post more videos?
“I want to show that you can do both: play good rugby and post good videos. We all have a responsibility to capitalize on this World Cup.”
Maher added: “Putting yourself out there is how you connect with people…If we want this to grow, it’s on us. We need to do more, it’s just the simple fact of that “
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