IIona Maher

[Hugo]

For my sins I don't follow the women's game - tbh women's sport in general because I have a hard enough time keeping up with the men's sport that I watch, not cos I am anti women's sport.

Anyway, disclaimer/context aside, IIona has cropped up on my social media feed a few times lately, for those that follow the game - is she as good as her online profile would suggest? Or is it one of those modern day social media things where they are trying to create hype/buzz around the women's game and marketing her is considered an important complement of that.

[Kiwias]

Her defense against the Black Ferns last Saturday was not very impressive and she had almost no chances with the ball on attack.

[SaintK]

Her defense against the Black Ferns last Saturday was not very impressive and she had almost no chances with the ball on attack.

Isn't she best known as a 7's player?

[Slick]

For my sins I don't follow the women's game - tbh women's sport in general because I have a hard enough time keeping up with the men's sport that I watch, not cos I am anti women's sport.

Anyway, disclaimer/context aside, IIona has cropped up on my social media feed a few times lately, for those that follow the game - is she as good as her online profile would suggest? Or is it one of those modern day social media things where they are trying to create hype/buzz around the women's game and marketing her is considered an important complement of that.

The women are just far, far better than the men at social media and a lot of them seem to be doing it to raise the profile of the game rather than themselves. They are getting endlessly bagged by men on social media for posting stuff, for instance, straight after games dancing with their mates on the opposition, but it really seems to cut through.

I'm all for it. I've said loads of times they need to create their own sport within the sport and not copy how the men's game works and this is all part of it.

[Sandstorm]

straight after games dancing with their mates on the opposition

I suppose if you can't ruck on them during the match.....

[Guy Smiley]

For my sins I don't follow the women's game - tbh women's sport in general because I have a hard enough time keeping up with the men's sport that I watch, not cos I am anti women's sport.

Anyway, disclaimer/context aside, IIona has cropped up on my social media feed a few times lately, for those that follow the game - is she as good as her online profile would suggest? Or is it one of those modern day social media things where they are trying to create hype/buzz around the women's game and marketing her is considered an important complement of that.

The women are just far, far better than the men at social media and a lot of them seem to be doing it to raise the profile of the game rather than themselves. They are getting endlessly bagged by men on social media for posting stuff, for instance, straight after games dancing with their mates on the opposition, but it really seems to cut through.

I'm all for it. I've said loads of times they need to create their own sport within the sport and not copy how the men's game works and this is all part of it.

Spot on here, Slick. I follow the NZ women sevens and their social media game is next level.

As for Maher, she deserves the star profile for her dedication to the game and to spite the shit that goes her way based on body image. Against the Black Ferns 15 on the weekend, no one was going to look good. The wingers put on 11 tries between them. Portia Woodman Wickliffe drove through a Maher tackle for one of her 7. NZ had a point to prove and were on another level.

[ASMO]

As a player she is very ordinary, her stint in England showed just how ordinary she was. As an ambassador for the female game, brilliant.

[Niegs]

As a player she is very ordinary, her stint in England showed just how ordinary she was. As an ambassador for the female game, brilliant.

Agree with this. When she was shopping herself around to English clubs (or at least the media were speculating), as a Gloucester supporter, I thought she'd be a waste of money (presumably she was paid) and a knock to the centres/wingers who'd been doing so well. I don't even think Bristol needed her as they have two good centres and some rapid young wings. (Though they certainly benefited from media attention.)

I don't watch much 7s, but clips suggest she's a quick big body that the wee ones couldn't handle. But I wondered about her defence in 7s, given that she occasionally got rounded in 15s as wing and outside centre. Seems to be wearing 13 for the USA, but it'd be interesting to see her as an 8. Would help a team like Leicester or Sale.

Kudos to her social media game and body positivity promotion, though.