There are preconceptions about everything, including sports. Rugby is no different. With a deep-rooted culture of being a men’s sport, it does not have the most inclusive community of fans. But times are changing, and women are also taking an active role in this extremely physical sport. The one leading this charge of a Rugby revolution is none other than Ilona Maher.

Maher, an Olympic bronze medalist in Rugby Sevens, recently signed for the Bristol Bears. Now part of the Premiership Woman’s Rugby, she looks forward to being a change-maker in the sport. Her debut proved a big spectacle as the venue had to be changed from Shaftesbury Park to Ashton Gate. An unprecedented 9,240 people showed up at the event.

As if a sign of changing times, in an interview with TNT Sports posted on their YouTube channel, Ilona reflected on her first match. Post-match, when asked about how she felt about the attendance, Ilona replied, “It is really important for me to connect with them. Because it’s not just the next generation of rugby players but the next generation of fans.”

Ilona understands the impact of building a connection with fans and how it is important to inspire the next generation of fans for her club. She mentioned, “I think it was really cool that there were a lot of women out there.” But Ilona understands that the road is still steep in building a sports culture for a primarily male-dominated sport.

Ilona wants to change the traditional boys’ club culture

The traditional image of rugby as a men’s sport goes way back and Ilona mentions how strong a fanbase it has. “It’s a boys club. You have a lot of old men going to the game. They’ve lived in Bristol their whole life, they’re Bristol fans and are going to the Bristol men’s team.” She mentioned, “For men’s sports you have a lot of men’s fans, especially for rugby.” 

Maher explained that she wants to build something similar for women’s rugby: “Can we now get women as our fans? As our supporters, buying our jerseys. Women have power and influence and I think they are a good fan base to have because I think they are committed people.” And the recent match was proof of how committed she is to her fanbase.

Maher also asserted how it is important to remain in touch with the fan base. This is because this will help in creating a culture around the club and build the next generation. “For me, it is important to go out there and connect with them so that they come to the next game whether they play rugby or not,” she contended. Prominent players need to be role models for the younger generation.

And with the bronze medalist being the single most famous female rugby player on the planet, that doesn’t seem like a far-fetched dream. Ilona Maher led Team USA to their first-ever medal in the Olympics Rugby Sevens. And her talismanic performance continued into the PWR as well. Netizens can now look forward to swift changes in the age-old age with a new face shining.