Ilona Maher has been one of the biggest names in women’s rugby. However, when she decided to have a run on ‘Dancing With the Stars’, Maher encountered a significant backlash from online fans. When Maher first stepped onto the scene, she faced body-shaming for her muscular build, and on DWTS, critics targeted her dance skills. But instead of letting the trolls get to her, Maher doubled down on her hard work, letting the dance floor become her place to shine. Sure enough, her hard work paid off, and now Ilona Maher and her dancing partner, Alan Bersten, have made it to the finals of the DWTS!

Appearing in a recent interview with TooFab on YouTube, Maher and Bersten were questioned about their feelings going into the finals. The rugby star seemed elated, but Maher also stressed the fact that she was not a trained dancer. She was just trying to get herself to try and learn something new. So, it was inevitable that there would be flaws in her routine.

And as for her haters, who were always mean and critical towards Maher? Well, she had a stern message for them. “Mean people online. We block them.” Now, dealing with mean people has been a large part of Maher’s headache. She has also received a significant amount of love and support from her fans. So much so that they are rooting for her to get into a relationship with her DWTS partner, Alan Bersten! 

Fans have portrayed a significant obsession with Maher and Bersten’s chemistry. Interestingly, while the duo are not officially romantically linked yet, Maher did not debunk the rumors. Instead, she has decided to play along! Maher told toofab, “Look, I’m for the people. If people like it, l’ll play up to it. I think it’s a fun rumor to go around. Do I know if I’ll do it? Probably not.”

Earlier, Maher admitted to E! News about enjoying the entire speculation. The renowned rugby athlete stated, “Yeah, we see, we see it all over. And honestly, keep doing it, people. We love it. I think honestly, if ship means relationship, we are, we are the besties. We love it.” Maher also stressed the fact that what she had with Bersten was special. Together, they are aiming to build some unique dance arrangements during their DWTS stint. Having become very good friends, Maher hoped that “it continues.” Now, apart from the rumors started by the fans, both Alan Bersten and Ilona Maher have been cheeky with their public interactions.

Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten reflect on the close bond that thrives between the duo

With the rumors going wild, questions about her equation with Alan Bersten have been flooding her. In a recent interaction on Good Morning America, Maher was asked about the virtues she would look for in her ideal man. Detailing her wish, Maher stated, “I think somebody who is very proud of me, who is kind, who understands my humor, who is ready to eat…”

Hearing her demands, Bersten chipped in playfully from beside her saying, “You’re listing a lot of things about me!” Reacting to this hilarious response, Ilona Maher asked her dancing partner to stop talking. And this was not all. With the US Presidential going on, the DWTS went on a temporary break. Maher seized this opportunity to tease the fans about their shipping obsession. 

Uploading a reel on social media, Maher joked about Bersten missing her. She said, “Realizing Alan probably hasn’t laughed in two days because we’ve been apart… Are you okay?” While this was a hilarious move from Maher, Bersten also jumped into the mix. He took to the comments section and said, “I’m hanging in there. But it’s tough. Can you get back here already?” Thus, sharing a sweet bond of friendship, it remains to be seen whether the fans’ speculations do come true or not.