The rugby player thanked the magazine for allowing her to show her "strong, powerful body and for making me feel so beautiful ...

Ilona Maher is flaunting her stuff on her Instagram ... her fans know that she had a great evening—so much so that the photos ...

Sports Illustrated/ Ben Watts Ilona Maher is embracing her body yet ... “I hope people see my photos and understand that strength can be so beautiful and so feminine,” she said.