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The Advertiser
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Advertiser
An insult to women's sport? Ticket detail exposes a gap for female fans
Parkas on, comfortable shoes, and all the excitement of walking through the graffitied tunnel from O'Connor to Canberra Stadium. It was the first time my friend and I were to properly watch a rugby union game. Before Saturday night, I thought Brumbies was spelt Brumby's, a dummy was for babies, and a drop goal is what I do to New Year's resolutions. That all changed thanks to American social media star, the glamorous Ilona Maher. She was in Canberra to play for the USA Eagles in a Test against Australia's Wallaroos on Saturday night. Maher has 5 million followers on Instagram and 3.5 million on TikTok. Her legions of fans love her for advocating for women in sport and body positivity. She is possibly the world's most famous rugby player. So imagine our surprise when my friend sent me the ticket and the women's match wasn't mentioned at all. "ACT BRUMBIES, 19:35PM," it said. We wanted to watch the Wallaroos play against the USA Eagles, but our tickets only mentioned the succeeding Brumbies game against the Queensland Reds. That was the first time I realised the Brumbies, the ACT's male rugby union team, was playing on Saturday night as well. Had we bought tickets to the wrong game? My friend called Canberra Stadium to check. Admittedly, it was not the Wallaroos we were interested in, but the big social media star on the other side. Even with a superstar like Maher to draw crowds, and a recent pay increase for Australia's female players, the national women's team was treated like the opening act to the local men's one. The Brumbies match actually recorded its highest home crowd in six years that night - without a doubt due to the fans who turned up to watch Maher. Her celebrity status transcends the sporting field, and we'll never know what portion of the crowd turned up just because of Maher, or the preceding women's game, because those people were technically buying Brumbies tickets. People turned to social media to complain about the promotion of the women's match. MORE CANBERRA SPORT I understand Rugby Australia was very keen to use Maher to promote the game, the Wallaroos and women's rugby in general. Maher (or at least Eagles team management) declined interview requests from media. When Maher announced herself in Canberra (via Instagram of course), her post quickly garnered attention and more than 112,000 likes. Her Australia and Canberra-based fans were shocked she was in the capital. And with women's sport gaining a bigger audience and stars like Maher inviting interest from a new cohort, the least Rugby Australia can do is sell tickets with both matches on them. The crowd was full of Maher love - signs scattered throughout and cheers and shouts of "I love you, Ilona" whenever she was flashed on the big screen. Anna Scares decided to shoot her shot, holding a cardboard sign saying: "Ilona Maher-ry me?' "One of the great things about Ilona is that she sends a message of body positivity that you can be beautiful at any size, that strong is beautiful," Scares told me. Like my friend and I, Siobhan Smith was at her first rugby game thanks to Maher. "I would happily come to heaps more women's games," she said. The Wallaroos are ranked sixth in the world, two spots higher than the men's national team, the Wallabies (and yes, I had to Google the men's team name). And as I learnt on Saturday, we have our own female rugby stars like Charlotte Caslick, Desi Miller and Faitala Moleka. As the game concluded, with the Wallaroos beating the Eagles 27-19, I joined many others, including young women and families, in heading home before the Brumbies match started. There were more people walking in the other direction - but perhaps they would have gotten in earlier if only they'd known what they were missing out on. Parkas on, comfortable shoes, and all the excitement of walking through the graffitied tunnel from O'Connor to Canberra Stadium. It was the first time my friend and I were to properly watch a rugby union game. Before Saturday night, I thought Brumbies was spelt Brumby's, a dummy was for babies, and a drop goal is what I do to New Year's resolutions. That all changed thanks to American social media star, the glamorous Ilona Maher. She was in Canberra to play for the USA Eagles in a Test against Australia's Wallaroos on Saturday night. Maher has 5 million followers on Instagram and 3.5 million on TikTok. Her legions of fans love her for advocating for women in sport and body positivity. She is possibly the world's most famous rugby player. So imagine our surprise when my friend sent me the ticket and the women's match wasn't mentioned at all. "ACT BRUMBIES, 19:35PM," it said. We wanted to watch the Wallaroos play against the USA Eagles, but our tickets only mentioned the succeeding Brumbies game against the Queensland Reds. That was the first time I realised the Brumbies, the ACT's male rugby union team, was playing on Saturday night as well. Had we bought tickets to the wrong game? My friend called Canberra Stadium to check. Admittedly, it was not the Wallaroos we were interested in, but the big social media star on the other side. Even with a superstar like Maher to draw crowds, and a recent pay increase for Australia's female players, the national women's team was treated like the opening act to the local men's one. The Brumbies match actually recorded its highest home crowd in six years that night - without a doubt due to the fans who turned up to watch Maher. Her celebrity status transcends the sporting field, and we'll never know what portion of the crowd turned up just because of Maher, or the preceding women's game, because those people were technically buying Brumbies tickets. People turned to social media to complain about the promotion of the women's match. MORE CANBERRA SPORT I understand Rugby Australia was very keen to use Maher to promote the game, the Wallaroos and women's rugby in general. Maher (or at least Eagles team management) declined interview requests from media. When Maher announced herself in Canberra (via Instagram of course), her post quickly garnered attention and more than 112,000 likes. Her Australia and Canberra-based fans were shocked she was in the capital. And with women's sport gaining a bigger audience and stars like Maher inviting interest from a new cohort, the least Rugby Australia can do is sell tickets with both matches on them. The crowd was full of Maher love - signs scattered throughout and cheers and shouts of "I love you, Ilona" whenever she was flashed on the big screen. Anna Scares decided to shoot her shot, holding a cardboard sign saying: "Ilona Maher-ry me?' "One of the great things about Ilona is that she sends a message of body positivity that you can be beautiful at any size, that strong is beautiful," Scares told me. Like my friend and I, Siobhan Smith was at her first rugby game thanks to Maher. "I would happily come to heaps more women's games," she said. The Wallaroos are ranked sixth in the world, two spots higher than the men's national team, the Wallabies (and yes, I had to Google the men's team name). And as I learnt on Saturday, we have our own female rugby stars like Charlotte Caslick, Desi Miller and Faitala Moleka. As the game concluded, with the Wallaroos beating the Eagles 27-19, I joined many others, including young women and families, in heading home before the Brumbies match started. There were more people walking in the other direction - but perhaps they would have gotten in earlier if only they'd known what they were missing out on. Parkas on, comfortable shoes, and all the excitement of walking through the graffitied tunnel from O'Connor to Canberra Stadium. It was the first time my friend and I were to properly watch a rugby union game. Before Saturday night, I thought Brumbies was spelt Brumby's, a dummy was for babies, and a drop goal is what I do to New Year's resolutions. That all changed thanks to American social media star, the glamorous Ilona Maher. She was in Canberra to play for the USA Eagles in a Test against Australia's Wallaroos on Saturday night. Maher has 5 million followers on Instagram and 3.5 million on TikTok. Her legions of fans love her for advocating for women in sport and body positivity. She is possibly the world's most famous rugby player. So imagine our surprise when my friend sent me the ticket and the women's match wasn't mentioned at all. "ACT BRUMBIES, 19:35PM," it said. We wanted to watch the Wallaroos play against the USA Eagles, but our tickets only mentioned the succeeding Brumbies game against the Queensland Reds. That was the first time I realised the Brumbies, the ACT's male rugby union team, was playing on Saturday night as well. Had we bought tickets to the wrong game? My friend called Canberra Stadium to check. Admittedly, it was not the Wallaroos we were interested in, but the big social media star on the other side. Even with a superstar like Maher to draw crowds, and a recent pay increase for Australia's female players, the national women's team was treated like the opening act to the local men's one. The Brumbies match actually recorded its highest home crowd in six years that night - without a doubt due to the fans who turned up to watch Maher. Her celebrity status transcends the sporting field, and we'll never know what portion of the crowd turned up just because of Maher, or the preceding women's game, because those people were technically buying Brumbies tickets. People turned to social media to complain about the promotion of the women's match. MORE CANBERRA SPORT I understand Rugby Australia was very keen to use Maher to promote the game, the Wallaroos and women's rugby in general. Maher (or at least Eagles team management) declined interview requests from media. When Maher announced herself in Canberra (via Instagram of course), her post quickly garnered attention and more than 112,000 likes. Her Australia and Canberra-based fans were shocked she was in the capital. And with women's sport gaining a bigger audience and stars like Maher inviting interest from a new cohort, the least Rugby Australia can do is sell tickets with both matches on them. The crowd was full of Maher love - signs scattered throughout and cheers and shouts of "I love you, Ilona" whenever she was flashed on the big screen. Anna Scares decided to shoot her shot, holding a cardboard sign saying: "Ilona Maher-ry me?' "One of the great things about Ilona is that she sends a message of body positivity that you can be beautiful at any size, that strong is beautiful," Scares told me. Like my friend and I, Siobhan Smith was at her first rugby game thanks to Maher. "I would happily come to heaps more women's games," she said. The Wallaroos are ranked sixth in the world, two spots higher than the men's national team, the Wallabies (and yes, I had to Google the men's team name). And as I learnt on Saturday, we have our own female rugby stars like Charlotte Caslick, Desi Miller and Faitala Moleka. As the game concluded, with the Wallaroos beating the Eagles 27-19, I joined many others, including young women and families, in heading home before the Brumbies match started. There were more people walking in the other direction - but perhaps they would have gotten in earlier if only they'd known what they were missing out on. Parkas on, comfortable shoes, and all the excitement of walking through the graffitied tunnel from O'Connor to Canberra Stadium. It was the first time my friend and I were to properly watch a rugby union game. Before Saturday night, I thought Brumbies was spelt Brumby's, a dummy was for babies, and a drop goal is what I do to New Year's resolutions. That all changed thanks to American social media star, the glamorous Ilona Maher. She was in Canberra to play for the USA Eagles in a Test against Australia's Wallaroos on Saturday night. Maher has 5 million followers on Instagram and 3.5 million on TikTok. Her legions of fans love her for advocating for women in sport and body positivity. She is possibly the world's most famous rugby player. So imagine our surprise when my friend sent me the ticket and the women's match wasn't mentioned at all. "ACT BRUMBIES, 19:35PM," it said. We wanted to watch the Wallaroos play against the USA Eagles, but our tickets only mentioned the succeeding Brumbies game against the Queensland Reds. That was the first time I realised the Brumbies, the ACT's male rugby union team, was playing on Saturday night as well. Had we bought tickets to the wrong game? My friend called Canberra Stadium to check. Admittedly, it was not the Wallaroos we were interested in, but the big social media star on the other side. Even with a superstar like Maher to draw crowds, and a recent pay increase for Australia's female players, the national women's team was treated like the opening act to the local men's one. The Brumbies match actually recorded its highest home crowd in six years that night - without a doubt due to the fans who turned up to watch Maher. Her celebrity status transcends the sporting field, and we'll never know what portion of the crowd turned up just because of Maher, or the preceding women's game, because those people were technically buying Brumbies tickets. People turned to social media to complain about the promotion of the women's match. MORE CANBERRA SPORT I understand Rugby Australia was very keen to use Maher to promote the game, the Wallaroos and women's rugby in general. Maher (or at least Eagles team management) declined interview requests from media. When Maher announced herself in Canberra (via Instagram of course), her post quickly garnered attention and more than 112,000 likes. Her Australia and Canberra-based fans were shocked she was in the capital. And with women's sport gaining a bigger audience and stars like Maher inviting interest from a new cohort, the least Rugby Australia can do is sell tickets with both matches on them. The crowd was full of Maher love - signs scattered throughout and cheers and shouts of "I love you, Ilona" whenever she was flashed on the big screen. Anna Scares decided to shoot her shot, holding a cardboard sign saying: "Ilona Maher-ry me?' "One of the great things about Ilona is that she sends a message of body positivity that you can be beautiful at any size, that strong is beautiful," Scares told me. Like my friend and I, Siobhan Smith was at her first rugby game thanks to Maher. "I would happily come to heaps more women's games," she said. The Wallaroos are ranked sixth in the world, two spots higher than the men's national team, the Wallabies (and yes, I had to Google the men's team name). And as I learnt on Saturday, we have our own female rugby stars like Charlotte Caslick, Desi Miller and Faitala Moleka. As the game concluded, with the Wallaroos beating the Eagles 27-19, I joined many others, including young women and families, in heading home before the Brumbies match started. There were more people walking in the other direction - but perhaps they would have gotten in earlier if only they'd known what they were missing out on.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘The Queen is here': Australia gets chance to witness rugby juggernaut Ilona Maher up close
Asked to describe Ilona Maher, some may remember Sports Illustrated's 2024 coverline: 'Beast. Beauty. Brains.' Yet the American rugby star's influence extends far beyond. With almost 5 million followers on Instagram, the 28-year-old has become not only rugby's most followed player but one of the most important and influential figures in women's sport, a power athlete weaponising her image to inspire future generations. Australians get their chance to see the Maher juggernaut up close when she runs out for the USA Eagles against the Wallaroos on Saturday. Canberra might just be the centre of the rugby universe this weekend. League and union are both showcasing major events in the Australian capital – the Raiders against the Titans in an NRL showdown, and ACT Brumbies against Queensland Reds in a Super Rugby grudge match. But Maher is by far the biggest star in that constellation. Related: 'We can't just have one superstar': Ilona Maher wants greater focus on others to grow rugby 'Ilona wants her success to grow in parallel to a rise in women's rugby,' says Alica Lucas, an Olympic gold-medallist in rugby sevens for Australia in 2016. 'She realises that if people fall in love with the personalities in our sport on TikTok they'll connect on deeper levels next – buying tickets to games, signing up to play, watching on TV.' Maher could have been with the glitterati on the red carpet at the Met Gala last week. Instead she's at Canberra's GIO Stadium for the Pacific Four Series, a runway of a different kind which leads to the Rugby World Cup kicking off in England this August. Despite the Eagles being ranked No 9 in the world, Maher will be the tournament's star attraction. England's Red Roses are the No 1 team in the world and favourites for the World Cup. But Maher is the figure people have been buying tickets to see. When she signed a short-term UK contract to play for the Bristol Bears earlier this year, the demand to see Maher in action meant the club had to move their games to a bigger stadium. Back home, the 'Ilona Maher Effect' is taking rugby to new audiences, a boon for the sport ahead of the US hosting Rugby World Cups in 2031 (men) and 2033 (women). This month's Pacific Four Test against Canada drew a record crowd of 10,518, 'a landmark moment for women's rugby in the US', says Bill Goren, CEO of USA Rugby Off the field, Maher's blue-chip brand is growing fast. Americans know she won a bronze medal in rugby sevens at the Paris Olympics. They bought the Sports Illustrated she graced and they've seen her ads for L'Oréal. Millions more watched her on Dancing with the Stars as the first female contestant to lift her male partner. 'I am strong and powerful, but I also can be graceful,' Maher told DWTS viewers before vowing to win 'for all the girls who've been told they're too big, or they're too muscly or they're not pretty'. Despite a 30+ body mass index putting her in the 'obese' range, Maher's socials flipped the script, telling fans she'd been bullied as 'overweight' her whole life and that her 90kg (200lb) frame was actually '170 pounds of lean muscle mass'. Most of all, people love Maher as the funny, feisty figure from TikTok and Instagram. Her star began rising at the Tokyo Games in 2020 where she lit up a Covid-disrupted Olympics with sharply edited videos and behind-the-scenes sketches in the Village. Maher swept past Siya Kolisi and Antoine Dupont, captains of the South Africa and France men's teams, to become the most followed rugby player on the planet. Maher uses social media to vamp in beautiful locations and poke fun at herself. Mostly though, she uses her social media to alter perceptions on body image. In Paris she posted: 'All body types matter, all body types are worthy, from the smallest gymnast to the tallest volleyball player, from a rugby player to a shot-putter to a sprinter. So truly see yourself in these athletes and know that you can do it, too.' Given Maher is a sevens veteran now learning the very different dark arts of 15s, the American star was taking a 'team-first' approach this week and not doing interviews. But Canberra knows she's in town. When Maher posted a photo from 'Bunda St and Thicc Thigh Ave' one fan gasped: 'OMG. This is not a drill. The Queen is Here.' Related: Generation TikTok: how sportswomen set the bar higher than the men Georgina Friedrichs has the onerous task of marking Maher in Saturday's Test but despite giving away 26 kg in weight advantage, the Wallaroos centre isn't intimidated. 'Ilona is a powerful runner in the fast and furious world of sevens but she's still new to 15s tactics so our backline will try and expose that with footwork and deception.' Good luck with that. Yet despite the Australia wanting revenge on Maher and the USA for beating them to the bronze medal in Paris, even Friedrichs sees the bigger game. 'Ilona has shown us the pathway to building a fanbase for women's rugby in Australia in time for the World Cup in 2029. She's pretty, authentic and humorous. Our girls have watched and learned from her and the connections are coming fast.'
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘The Queen is here': Australia gets chance to witness rugby juggernaut Ilona Maher up close
United States rugby union and sevens star Ilona Maher is in Australia ahead of the USA Eagles playing the Wallaroos in a Pacific Four Series Test on Saturday. United States rugby union and sevens star Ilona Maher is in Australia ahead of the USA Eagles playing the Wallaroos in a Pacific Four Series Test on Saturday. Photograph:Asked to describe Ilona Maher, some may remember Sports Illustrated's 2024 coverline: 'Beast. Beauty. Brains.' Yet the American rugby star's influence extends far beyond. With almost five million followers on Instagram, the 28-year-old has become not only rugby's most followed player but one of the most important and influential figures in women's sport, a power athlete weaponising her image to inspire future generations. Australians get their chance to see the Maher juggernaut up close when she runs out for the USA Eagles against the Wallaroos on Saturday. Canberra might just be the centre of the rugby universe this weekend. League and union are both showcasing major events in the Australian capital – the Rabbitohs against the Raiders in an NRL showdown, and ACT Brumbies against Queensland Reds in a Super Rugby grudge match. But Maher is by far the biggest star in that constellation. Advertisement Related: 'We can't just have one superstar': Ilona Maher wants greater focus on others to grow rugby 'Ilona wants her success to grow in parallel to a rise in women's rugby,' says Alica Lucas, an Olympic gold-medallist in rugby sevens for Australia in 2016. 'She realises that if people fall in love with the personalities in our sport on TikTok they'll connect on deeper levels next – buying tickets to games, signing up to play, watching on TV.' Maher could have been with the glitterati on the red carpet at the Met Gala last week. Instead she's at Canberra's GIO Stadium for the Pacific Four Series, a runway of a different kind which leads to the Rugby World Cup kicking off in England this August. Despite the Eagles being ranked No 9 in the world, Maher will be the tournament's star attraction. England's Red Roses are the No 1 team in the world and favourites for the World Cup. But Maher is the figure people have been buying tickets to see. When she signed a short-term UK contract to play for the Bristol Bears earlier this year, the demand to see Maher in action meant the club had to move their games to a bigger stadium. Advertisement Back home, the 'Ilona Maher Effect' is taking rugby to new audiences, a boon for the sport ahead of the US hosting Rugby World Cups in 2031 (men) and 2033 (women). This month's Pacific Four Test against Canada drew a record crowd of 10,518, 'a landmark moment for women's rugby in the US,' says Bill Goren, CEO of USA Rugby Off the field, Maher's blue-chip brand is growing fast. Americans know she won a bronze medal in rugby sevens at the Paris Olympics. They bought the Sports Illustrated she graced and they've seen her ads for L'Oréal. Millions more watched her on Dancing with the Stars as the first female contestant to lift her male partner. 'I am strong and powerful, but I also can be graceful,' Maher told DWTS viewers before vowing to win 'for all the girls who've been told they're too big, or they're too muscly or they're not pretty.' Despite a 30+ body mass index putting her in the 'obese' range, Maher's socials flipped the script, telling fans she'd been bullied as 'overweight' her whole life and that her 90 kg (200lb) frame was actually '170 pounds of lean muscle mass'. Most of all, people love Maher as the funny, feisty figure from TikTok and Instagram. Her star began rising at the Tokyo Games in 2020 where she lit up a Covid-disrupted Olympics with sharply edited videos and behind-the-scenes sketches in the Village. Maher swept past Siya Kolisi and Antoine Dupont, captains of the South Africa and France men's teams, to become the most followed rugby player on the planet. Advertisement Maher uses social media to vamp in beautiful locations and poke fun at herself. Mostly though, she uses her social media to alter perceptions on body image. In Paris she posted: 'All body types matter, all body types are worthy, from the smallest gymnast to the tallest volleyball player, from a rugby player to a shot-putter to a sprinter. So truly see yourself in these athletes and know that you can do it, too.' Given Maher is a sevens veteran now learning the very different dark arts of 15s, the American star was taking a 'team-first' approach this week and not doing interviews. But Canberra knows she's in town. When Maher posted a photo from 'Bunda St and Thicc Thigh Ave' one fan gasped: 'OMG. This is not a drill. The Queen is Here.' Related: Generation TikTok: how sportswomen set the bar higher than the men Georgina Friedrichs has the onerous task of marking Maher in Saturday's Test but despite giving away 26 kg in weight advantage, the Wallaroos centre isn't intimidated. 'Ilona is a powerful runner in the fast and furious world of sevens but she's still new to 15s tactics so our backline will try and expose that with footwork and deception.' Good luck with that. Yet despite the Australia wanting revenge on Maher and the USA for beating them to the bronze medal in Paris, even Friedrichs sees the bigger game. 'Ilona has shown us the pathway to building a fanbase for women's rugby in Australia in time for the World Cup in 2029. She's pretty, authentic and humorous. Our girls have watched and learned from her and the connections are coming fast.'
Axios
18-03-2025
- Sport
- Axios
Charlotte will host international rugby matches this summer
Charlotte will host the men's national rugby team for two matches at American Legion Memorial Stadium this summer. Why it matters: This will be the USA Eagles' first time competing here. Plus, there's a push for Charlotte to be a host city for the men's 2031 Rugby World Cup. State of play: USA will take on the Netherlands on Saturday, July 5 at 7:30pm. Then, USA faces Spain on Saturday, July 12 at 7:30pm. Tickets go on sale March 29. Pre-sales start March 27. Zoom in: Charlotte is home to Anthem Rugby Carolina, which has 11 USA Eagles on its roster. Anthem RC is playing its second season in Major League Rugby, the nation's top league. It primarily acts as a developmental team for the USA Eagles as they pursue the 2027 World Cup qualification. Between the lines: The upcoming summer matches are a collaboration between USA Rugby (the sport's national governing body), World Rugby (the sport's international governing body) and TEG Sport (a live events producer). These matches extend beyond Charlotte, include both the men's and women's teams, and are being used to test America's appetite for the sport. The United States will host the men's World Cup in 2031 and the women's World Cup in 2033. What we're watching: Charlotte is among 40 markets being considered as a host city for the 2031 World Cup, Ross Young, World Rugby general manager for U.S. operations, confirmed to Axios earlier this year. Bank of America Stadium is the ideal venue if Charlotte is selected as a host site. It can hold roughly 75,000 people, compared to American Legion Memorial Stadium's 10,500 capacity. Young says the goal is to narrow locations down to the tournament's core 12 venues by the end of 2026, adding that some venues haven't been built yet and others will naturally fall away. There will be several site visits to evaluate infrastructure and facilities throughout the coming months. What they're saying: "The U.S. is a rapidly growing rugby market with strong commercial and hosting interest ahead of the 2031 and 2033 Rugby World Cups," World Rugby chair Brett Robinson said in a statement. "This test series reflects our ambition to build a sustainable competition calendar that enhances performance, attracts new audiences, and fuels rugby's growth." The big picture: Charlotte is a hotspot for sporting events, from the ACC men's basketball tournament last week to upcoming events like the PGA Championship, Savannah Bananas, and the FIFA Club World Cup.
