Ilona Maher, Olympic bronze medalist, and star rugby player, has never been afraid to speak her mind. Recently, the athlete found herself in the public eye not for her play on the pitch but for how online trolls view her life off of it. However, she isn’t the one to keep quiet! Maher played a pivotal role in leading the U.S. women’s rugby sevens team to its first-ever bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Now, in an honest interview about her life’s work, Maher spoke to the annoyance of being perceived as simply a “content creator.”
On 25th March 2025, Ilona Maher joined her sisters, creator Olivia Maher, and human rights advocate Adrianna Maher on the House of Maher Podcast. They talked about many things, including Illona Maher getting trolled and how she isn’t keeping rugby as her bread and butter to earn money. Maher’s move to play for the Bristol Bears in England was, in fact, a deliberate step to reclaim her identity as a rugby player. “I think that’s one of the reasons why I came here to Bristol to play because I don’t want to be just known as a content creator influencer,” she explained. The 28-year-old, who boasts a significant social media following, has grown weary of the reductive comments that overshadow her athletic achievements.
“I hate when people just say that about me. Oh, she’s just an Instagrammer,” Maher said. In September 2024, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit featured Maher on its digital cover, celebrating her athletic achievements and making a powerful statement on strength and authenticity. “One guy commented on a video of Bristol Bears like, ‘Oh, were you going there to see the Instagrammer or are you going to watch the team?’ First of all, I’m an Olympic medalist. First of all, I’m a great rugby player. But people sometimes forget about that and just put me in that box.”
Ilona Maher will face Japan before the Pacific Four challenge
Ilona Maher will return to the USA Rugby 15s field after a two-year hiatus, with her last game being in 2021. The USA Women’s Eagles team included Maher, and she will play against Japan in Los Angeles on April 26, 2025. This change gives her an opportunity to pursue a place on the 15-a-side Rugby World Cup team that England will host next August 2025. Her selection, made public by USA Rugby, indicates her increasing profile in the game and her effort to cross the gap between her rugby sevens success and the classic 15s code.
Maher’s return to 15s rugby has a marked trajectory after a highlight stint with Bristol Bears in Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) in England earlier in 2025. That run culminated in a sobbing semi-final loss against Gloucester-Hartpury, but not before leaving her mark—scoring tries and attracting record attendance figures. Under the leadership of Eagles head coach Sione Fukofuka now, Maher is set to bring her ‘X-factor’ to the American team.
The game against Japan at UCLA’s Wallis Annenberg Stadium on Wednesday is a special one for Maher. It’s her first test match in America since her Olympic heroics in Paris 2024, when she played a crucial role in helping the USA claim a historic bronze in rugby sevens. After Japan, the Eagles will play Canada in Kansas City on May 2, then head to Canberra to play Australia’s Wallaroos on May 16, and finally the powerful Black Ferns of New Zealand in Auckland on May 23. These Pacific Four matches are important stepping stones to the World Cup, providing Maher with an opportunity to demonstrate her versatility and endurance in the 15s game.
The post Publicly Criticised Ilona Maher Makes a Strong Admission Over Trolls While Discussing Money Matters appeared first on EssentiallySports.