Ilona Maher

Thank you. Thank you. you know, posted the videos and it just showed the power I guess I have and made me want to keep doing it. I think it was like interesting at times. It's always interesting. It's a weird battle I have to kind of deal with of like play rugby or do things outside that would make me so much more money. Like if I could, I would just be an athlete.

Thank you. Thank you. you know, posted the videos and it just showed the power I guess I have and made me want to keep doing it. I think it was like interesting at times. It's always interesting. It's a weird battle I have to kind of deal with of like play rugby or do things outside that would make me so much more money. Like if I could, I would just be an athlete.

But I've said it so many times before, I'm just not going to make, you know, money being an athlete. So as as a rugby player, as a female player, I have to do so much more off the field. And it gets to the point where it's almost like rugby you have to do it more for passion. Whereas I could be making this and this and doing this outside, yet I love this game.

But I've said it so many times before, I'm just not going to make, you know, money being an athlete. So as as a rugby player, as a female player, I have to do so much more off the field. And it gets to the point where it's almost like rugby you have to do it more for passion. Whereas I could be making this and this and doing this outside, yet I love this game.

The stuff that you've had to build on the outside. Yeah. Whereas I think what you're saying is like, male athletes, if you play in the NFL, you make a certain type of paycheck where you can just play the sport that you love. Whereas you've played the sport that you love while building stuff on the outside and now you're at that

The stuff that you've had to build on the outside. Yeah. Whereas I think what you're saying is like, male athletes, if you play in the NFL, you make a certain type of paycheck where you can just play the sport that you love. Whereas you've played the sport that you love while building stuff on the outside and now you're at that

not a crossroads because rugby is your love and your passion but the money that you make in rugby versus the money that you could make to help set yourself up for the future you know instead of playing a sport that is just so brutal it's tough on the body but at the same time like i think it is so tough on the body that it is right now it's like you're playing it now and these are the years to be doing it so i think your head's in the right place to be continuing on

not a crossroads because rugby is your love and your passion but the money that you make in rugby versus the money that you could make to help set yourself up for the future you know instead of playing a sport that is just so brutal it's tough on the body but at the same time like i think it is so tough on the body that it is right now it's like you're playing it now and these are the years to be doing it so i think your head's in the right place to be continuing on

It is hard though. And we, you know, you and I were chatting about it a lot this season. Like 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. Like I'm going out there every day with the possibility of, you know, getting injury as happens with any sport, but there's that possibility every time.

It is hard though. And we, you know, you and I were chatting about it a lot this season. Like 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. Like I'm going out there every day with the possibility of, you know, getting injury as happens with any sport, but there's that possibility every time.

And I'm like, gosh, why am I doing this to myself? Like, you know, I could be, I could be,

And I'm like, gosh, why am I doing this to myself? Like, you know, I could be, I could be,

just living and and making a living doing you know media now yet i get tackled every day and i sit for him and i tackle other people and it's a lot on the body for i guess for a lot of my teammates they're putting their whole bodies on the line for very little reward for a lot of them it's semi-professional a lot of them aren't getting paid if they're getting paid it's very little a lot of them are working full-time jobs we have doctors and nurses on our team and teachers so like

just living and and making a living doing you know media now yet i get tackled every day and i sit for him and i tackle other people and it's a lot on the body for i guess for a lot of my teammates they're putting their whole bodies on the line for very little reward for a lot of them it's semi-professional a lot of them aren't getting paid if they're getting paid it's very little a lot of them are working full-time jobs we have doctors and nurses on our team and teachers so like

we're in rugby doing this for passion but at what time can it be like for as a job as a career because nobody calls rugby their career or they say it but it's really not a career you do it for this kind of fleeting moment and then i have teammates from sevens who have gone back to desk jobs who are you know back into the workforce like it never happened like we never traveled the world playing rugby together but i think this was the best option for me i've met so many great people one of my favorites is sarah byrne who's

we're in rugby doing this for passion but at what time can it be like for as a job as a career because nobody calls rugby their career or they say it but it's really not a career you do it for this kind of fleeting moment and then i have teammates from sevens who have gone back to desk jobs who are you know back into the workforce like it never happened like we never traveled the world playing rugby together but i think this was the best option for me i've met so many great people one of my favorites is sarah byrne who's

you know, one of the best players, my personal best player in the world, I think. And I want other people to know that as well. But I think What was so great about the Bears is we have so many amazing players on there. Abby Ward, Jazz Joyce from all sorts of countries. I got to learn so much from all of them. And it just set me up for success.

you know, one of the best players, my personal best player in the world, I think. And I want other people to know that as well. But I think What was so great about the Bears is we have so many amazing players on there. Abby Ward, Jazz Joyce from all sorts of countries. I got to learn so much from all of them. And it just set me up for success.

And I think also they were really happy that I was there for what I could bring. It sounds like you found a really wonderful new team culture and community on the 15s team. And I wonder... You're going to go back to the Sevens team maybe one day and it's going to be a whole group of girls. Are you ever nervous to go into a new team again with this amazing experience you've had here?

And I think also they were really happy that I was there for what I could bring. It sounds like you found a really wonderful new team culture and community on the 15s team. And I wonder... You're going to go back to the Sevens team maybe one day and it's going to be a whole group of girls. Are you ever nervous to go into a new team again with this amazing experience you've had here?