With a smartphone in one hand and a rugby ball in the other, Ilona Maher has turned her social media presence into a stage far bigger than any stadium. When she started posting on TikTok and Instagram back in 2021, it was just a way of raising sponsorships and money for the team. But here’s the twist: she’s not doing it for herself alone. Maher is helping rewrite the playbook on what it means to be a modern athlete. Balancing top-tier performance with raw, hilarious, and heartwarming authenticity online. And in the process, she’s shining a spotlight not just on herself, but on her teammates, her opponents, and the entire sport of women’s rugby.
Before Maher had millions of followers and TikTok clout, some of her own teammates didn’t quite get the hype. “I remember I would be posting on TikTok in 2021 and before Tokyo and my teammates were like, ‘Oh, there Ilona goes TikToking again,’” she said on the Well Played podcast. But after Tokyo, the tone changed. “I’d be like, ‘Okay everybody shut up, Ilona’s TikTok.’” That shift speaks volumes. Maher wasn’t just getting laughs, she was getting results. Her content was changing the way people viewed the sport, drawing new fans, and pulling her teammates into the spotlight with her.
For Maher, inclusion isn’t a side project. It’s the heartbeat of what she does. “Everyone always asks me like, ‘Oh you bring your teammates along with you,’ but I’m a team sport athlete through and through,” Maher said. “It would seem crazy to not include them in videos… it’s not just me out there on the field, it’s them,” she further chimed in. Her feed isn’t a highlight reel of solo wins, it’s a space where teammates and even opponents get their moment. Her videos are full of laughter, behind-the-scenes fun, and the kind of chemistry that only comes from athletes who go to battle together. And then dance it out for the camera after.
And her reach extends beyond her squad. Maher has even started featuring opponents in her videos. “I understand that we play a very tough sport but we’re able to… compartmentalize that to be able to play hard,” she said. She knows the game is fierce, but sees value in celebrating those she plays against too. “I’m tired. I can’t be the only superstar… I hope that my following can help those others rise,” the Olympian opined. That kind of thinking is rare in elite sports, and it’s making a difference.
Thanks to Maher’s influence, the sport is already growing. Girls’ rugby saw a nearly 20% jump in registration after her Olympic run. Young players are seeing themselves in her story. And in the teammates and opponents, she uplifts. Ilona Maher didn’t just find a way to balance being an elite athlete and an online personality. She found a way to bring a whole community with her into the light. And Maher is not only changing the sport with her TikToks, she is also an ardent advocate of promoting body positivity.
It’s not the first time Maher has emphasized social media’s impact on the sport. Back in 2024, she said, “I think rugby is, in many ways, stuck in the old ways – on the field you have just got to work and that’s where it stops. But we have to grow as the world changes and as society changes. We want to get more players into the game – where are those players? They’re on TikTok. They’re scrolling the apps, they’re watching my little videos and going ‘oh, look at this girl play rugby.”
Ilona Maher’s bold message is reshaping how young women see their bodies
When Ilona Maher steps onto a rugby field, she brings more than just physical power. She brings purpose. The 28-year-old American rugby star isn’t just trying to win games. But she’s also using her platform to challenge deeply rooted perceptions of female athletes. With millions following her on TikTok and Instagram, Maher has become an outspoken force for body positivity, one who’s making young women rethink what strength, beauty, and confidence really look like.
“There are going to be days where it’s tough to love it all the time,” Ilona shared with BBC Newsbeat after her debut for the Bristol Bears. Maher added, “But give it grace and do things, whether it’s dance, rugby or taking a walk, to show what it’s able to do for you.” It’s that kind of realness that has struck a chord with fans, especially teenage girls, who see in her not just an elite athlete, but someone who looks and talks like them. At her debut match, which drew a record crowd, she stayed for over 90 minutes after the final whistle, taking photos and listening to the girls who now look up to her.
Sixteen-year-old Zara, a fan and player from North Bristol Rugby Club, summed it up. She stated, “Ilona’s changed the perception of body image by showing that you can be muscly and strong and powerful and wear a dress.” For her and others, Maher’s presence is more than exciting. It’s affirming. And in a sport that’s long struggled with visibility and inclusivity, that kind of impact is game-changing.
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