“The only thing shifting faster than Ilona Maher jerseys is Ilona Maher herself”. Commentator Claire Thomas encapsulated the power of Instagram’s most followed rugby player, reacting to her first try for Bristol Bears on 12 January. Even before the rugby sevens star’s boots touched English soil, the signing had made its impact: in just two weeks, the Bears’ Instagram followers tripled, and their first game of the new year was moved to Ashton Gate Stadium due to unprecedented demand. Undoubtedly, Maher is drawing fresh eyes to Premiership Women’s Rugby, making waves similar to those Caitlin Clark created in women’s basketball. But whilst Clark’s contract spans four years, Maher’s lasts just three months. So, will the “Ilona Maher effect” wear off just as fast as it kicked in?

As one of the biggest names in women’s sport, let alone rugby, the Olympic medallist saw a short-term stint with the Bears as the best opportunity to earn a spot to represent the USA in the 2025 Rugby World Cup (that England is hosting). She highlighted that whilst sevens feels “like the back of my hand”, 15s “is a little different”. However, the move could also be viewed as a signal that Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) is finding success in its self-stated mission “to be the world’s most competitive, progressive and sustainable domestic competition”—one of the sport’s biggest stars sees it as an environment for growth and development.

Despite being England’s top-flight, the PWR is yet to become fully professional though, with the majority of players currently part-timers or amateurs. Maher’s teammate Sarah Bern has stressed that “it is incredibly difficult for a player these days to be in a high-performing Premiership team that requires them to be in three days a week and play Saturdays and recover and go to work and get all of their strength training in so they don’t get injured.” Announcing that she would be moving to Bristol, just days after competing in the final of ‘Dancing with The Stars’, Maher may appear to be in an exceptional position as a player leading somewhat of a ‘double-life’. However, most PWR athletes are different people on and off the pitch, to the extent that they cannot rely on rugby as their sole stream of income.

In Bern’s words, we want young girls to think they “can be a really successful Premiership player and make that a living.” In realising such a goal, audience size will be no small piece of the puzzle, hence the significance of the 9,240 strong record-breaking crowd drawn to Maher’s Bristol Bears debut. But, as Maher herself admits, “we can’t just have one superstar”. The continued evolution of the women’s game depends not only on economics but also on attitudes. Primarily, the lingering perception of rugby as a male pursuit must shift. In a viral TikTok video responding to a proliferation of comments calling her a man, Maher defiantly asserted that “women can be strong, and they can have broad shoulders, and they can take up space and they can be big,” adding “I feel feminine so I am feminine and I believe that.”

Crucially, many women and girls believe her. Perhaps even more striking than the number of supporters attending their first match, was the time Maher spent with them when the final whistle blew. Even after a loss to Gloucester-Hartpury (the reigning PWR champions), Maher, in her new Bears kit and signature red lipstick, spent over an hour interacting with the fans. Although her journey has taken her from the pitch to the spotlight, the spotlight will certainly illuminate the pitch for the players of tomorrow.