Whatever she does, it will be Maher-velous

Ilona Maher wants to be known, first and foremost, as a rugby player. A really good one.

Not as a content creator. Not as a social media influencer. "I hate it when people say that about me: 'Oh, she's just an Instagrammer'," she told her sisters during their House of Maher podcast.

But Maher the rugby player has already begun her offseason. Her Eagles — the United States team — were eliminated from last month's Women's Rugby World Cup, failing to progress from the pool stage on points differential with Australia, though she stuck around in England to see the host lift the trophy.

She's yet to reveal her future plans, but all roads seem to point to La-La Land.

She told the BBC she'd been approached by the WWE just before the tournament. Maher wasn't enthusiastic about professional wrestling, but liked the money and the pathways it opens to Hollywood.

"I would love to get into the acting space, the scripted space," she said. "A John Cena, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson progression, I would love to do that.

"It would be exciting to see my body type on the screen. I'll start off small, probably like a hot assassin or something, let's not get too crazy! I'm not going to be in a rom-com just yet."

She is already being filmed for a docuseries on her rugby journey, produced by Reese Witherspoon's company, Hello Sunshine.

The sport has been the cornerstone upon which she's built her fame and become rugby's most followed player on social media — nearly nine million people across all platforms. Her 5.2 million followers on Instagram equal men's rugby greats Sonny Bill Williams, Siya Kolisi, Antoine Dupont and Dan Carter combined.

She hinted on House of Maher in April about leaving 15s rugby and returning to sevens. The 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles would be the draw. The US is automatically qualified as the host team. Maher would be nearly 32 then, still in her prime.

Beautiful beast

She's at a crossroads, because while she's not ready to give up rugby — playing and promoting it — rugby doesn't pay the bills.

"It's important (to me) to be known as an athlete, especially in America," she said. "We love athletes. We think athletes are the top of the top. I'm proud to be an athlete, it's something that I've always kind of really associated with my sense of self.

"Ificould, I would just be an athlete, but ... I'm not going to make money being an athlete. So, as a female rugby player I have to do so much more off the field and it gets to the point where it's almost like you have played mostly for passion.

"I'm putting my body on the line for something that is giving me a lot, but at times I feel like I'm giving it much more. Every day there's the possibility of getting injured and I'm like: 'Gosh, why am I doing this to myself? Like, I could be making a living doing media now.'"

It is media that has helped her to this point.

It started with witty TikToks about life behind the scenes at the Tokyo Olympics. Around the same time, she started wearing her signature bright red lipstick because, why not? To her, if you feel great, you play great.

"I can be a beast on the field, and feel beautiful as well," she said.

Her humor and sass, her messages to girls and women that strong is beautiful, and that their differences are to be embraced and celebrated, proved a hit. Maher's graphic, unfiltered truth and sheer athleticism are loved.

A year ago she helped the US win the sevens bronze medal at the Paris Olympics. That led to the swimsuit edition of Sports Illustrated and Dancing with the Stars, where she lifted her male partner and reached the final.

Justified the hype

English club Bristol Bears called to offer a short-term contract starting in January. It was a win-win-win.

Maher got to retune the 15s skills she hadn't used in more than three years — in spite of a broken nose — to become a selection contender for the US World Cup squad.

Bristol, in a dogfight when she arrived, reached the English semifinals and attracted record women's ticket and merchandise sales.

The England-hosted World Cup got extra late-season promotion from its biggest media star.

The impact from the Bristol stint amazed even Maher. But not being close to London, let alone New York and LA where she does her deals, cost her big money, she said. Still, she added that Bristol set her up for rugby success.

The Eagles welcomed her back in May, and, at the World Cup, she justified the hype. She led all players on the opening weekend in post-contact meters — against eventual champion England, to boot — and led all players on the second weekend in turnovers won. The third and last weekend was the Eagles' 60-0 romp against Samoa.

Whatever Maher does next, she said she won't stop promoting rugby and women's sports.

"I want to flood (followers') feeds with how I feel, and (how) I think they could as well," she once told CBS. "I get so sad thinking about girls who don't get experience being on a rugby team, because when you get on a rugby team they don't care what size you are; tall, small, skinny or big. They're like, 'come on, we want you and we're so excited to have you'."

Agencies Via Xinhua