US women s grassroots flourishes after Olympic sevens heroics

HOUSTON - Grassroots womens rugby has blossomed in popularity in the US as thousands of new players lace up their boots after being inspired by the countrys stellar performance at the Paris Olympics in 2024.

Membership of womens rugby clubs is already at 95 per cent of 2024s total, according to USA Rugby, with a vast number more expected with the spring and summer seasons yet to fully kick off.

Membership is set to exceed previous seasons by a good margin after women and girls watched in awe as the US women won the countrys first Olympic sevens medal, stunning former champions Australia in the final seconds of their playoff to claim bronze.

Watching Team USA smash through those girls, it was just amazing, said Jazzmin Jones, 28, who has signed up for her first season after watching the Paris Olympics.

The way my body is built, you dont see a lot of that in womens sports, but watching Team USA, I saw that they look like me, theyre strong, and Im strong too, said the proud new member of Houston Athletic Rugby Club.

Ilona Maher effect

When I was growing up, there were really no contact sports for girls, I feel like I lived in a rugby desert for my whole upbringing, said former US international Alycia Washington, who started playing rugby at 17 and boasts 26 caps for the Womens Eagles.

I am in awe of the growth of the game, said Washington, now retired from international rugby and playing at Stade Bordelais in Bordeaux, France.

One woman in particular has helped boost that growth, rising to international stardom after Paris. With more than eight million followers on Instagram and TikTok, Ilona Maher is the biggest social media star in the game - men or women.

The Ilona