Ilona Maher Was Striking in Royal Blue Two-Piece With Unique Two-Tone Tie

The rugby pro sported the set during her SI Swimsuit debut in September.

Ilona Maher was photographed by Ben Watts in Bellport, New York / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

It might be surprising to learn that, for Ilona Maher, confidence hasn’t always been a given. If you ask her younger sister Adrianna, she would tell you that for much of the professional rugby player’s young life, she felt quite the opposite. She shied away from the camera and struggled to feel beautiful, the younger Maher told SI Swimsuit on the set of her sister’s brand debut in Bellport, New York.

It wasn’t until she was older that she started to appreciate her body for what it could do, rather than how she or others might perceive it. For that shift in mindset, Maher has rugby to thank. “I was always like, you know, called masculine or whatever,” she told Liz Plank on set. “But I never felt that way. ... I love that [rugby] showed me what I can do. It showed me how capable my body is and it's not just like a tool to be looked at and objectified.”

These days, the 28-year-old feels most beautiful when she is putting her “strong and powerful” figure to work on the rugby pitch. She has a particular appreciation for her shoulders and thighs. “I find them to be so powerful,” she told the team on set, “the way that they take up space and what they can do.”

The sort of confidence that the game of rugby has instilled in the athlete is not to be belittled. She has the sport to thank for her two Olympic appearances and her impressive bronze medal, too. But she likewise has it to thank for her platform. Over the past few years, she has built a social media following with the help of her signature wit and her dedication to body positivity. But it all comes back to the game of rugby, which allowed her to develop an appreciation for her muscles—and a desire to share those same sentiments with others.

Maher brought that very confidence to the set of her SI Swimsuit debut, where the styling was perfectly curated to enhance her muscular form. Take the following swimsuit from Eres, for example. The bright blue string set is eye-catching on its own, of course. But it became even more so when Maher stepped into it.

Eres Toupie Top, $235 and Salto Bottoms, $235 (eresparis.com)

Ilona Maher was photographed by Ben Watts in Bellport, New York. Swimsuit by Eres. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

The set features unique two-tone twisted ties and a classic triangle fit. Take a page out of Maher’s book, snag this set and take a little inspiration from her confidence, too.