Ilona Maher and the Rugby World Cup in York: How women's game's global icon can extend her stay in England
She has 5.2 million followers on Instagram and has become the poster girl for the Women’s Rugby World Cup.
Yet for Ilona Maher and her United States team to keep their tournament dream alive today, it comes down to 80 minutes of rugby in North Yorkshire.
For at the Community Stadium in York this lunchtime, Maher and her USA team tackle Samoa in their final Pool A match, needing to post a cricket score to advance to the knockout stages next weekend.
As it stands in the only pool with a quarter-final place still riding on it, Australia lead the USA by five points in the standings following their captivating draw in York last Saturday night.
A bonus point would be enough to clinch their place in the last eight, regardless of the result against England.
For Maher’s Eagles to go through, they need to beat Samoa by a huge score and Australia lose heavily enough to enable the USA to overcome the massive 135 points difference between the sides.
“We definitely still have our eyes on the prize,” said Maher this week.
“It's exciting that there's another week to play and hopefully we can get through to the quarters. Samoa should be a fun team to play, but we have to put points on them and hopefully England really give it to Australia.”
That marks game No 5 at York’s Community Stadium during the World Cup.
The sixth and final match sees Japan take on Spain on Sunday at 12pm.
Both teams may have been eliminated but they are expected to bring colour and noise to Yorkshire one final time in this festival of rugby.
Japan’s players bowing before each stand at Franklin’s Gardens after their defeat to Ireland last week has been one of the images of the tournament.
Both Spain and Japan have pushed Ireland all the way in earlier Pool C encounters and will be looking to finish their campaigns on a high.
Elsewhere in the tournament, Canada, Scotland, England, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa and France have all safely qualified, but will be looking to go through as group winners.