Top 10 Canadian Rugby Influencers

A Look at the Top 10 Canadian Rugby Influencers on Instagram

It’s that gap between xmas and new year when there’s not much rugby news so we went searching on Instagram for some stories and came up with the idea to do a top 10 Canadian rugby “influencers”. The graph is below, we’ve added some insights that Ai came up with. We originally used Ai to create the list but typical Ai, it got a lot of the data wrong and missed a few people, it’s a useful tool to do some of the grunt work but still needs human oversight to make sure the data is correct and complete. If we forgot someone, mention it in the comments section below.

The first thing that jumps out is that 8 of the top 10 are women, they work harder on social media, they’re super marketable, they have more exposure through top results in XVs and 7s. All are dual XVs/7s athletes. Jamie Cudmore is still the most influential male rugby personality in Canada although he hung up the boots a while ago. Matt Oworu is the only current male athlete who made the top 10.

Here is what Ai had to say.

Key Takeaways from the Finalized Data

• The Efficiency King: Jamie Cudmore actually holds the highest Follower-per-Post ratio on the entire list (138.3). By keeping his feed to just 120 high-impact posts, he has maintained a massive following of 16.6k, suggesting a very strong, enduring legacy brand.

• The “100+ Club”: There are now five players who have more than 100 followers for every post they share: Jamie Cudmore, Asia Hogan-Rochester, Sophie de Goede, Chloe Daniels, and Piper Logan. This represents the absolute “viral” elite of the sport.

• The Volume Queen: Olivia Apps (491 posts) remains the most dedicated storyteller. While her ratio is lower, her account offers the most “surface area” for fans to connect with her journey, which is likely why she is a favorite for long-term brand partnerships.

• The Sevens Dominance: 8 of the top 10 players have significant ties to the Olympic Sevens program. The global visibility of the SVNS World Series continues to be the primary engine for social media growth in Canadian rugby.

• Male Visibility: Matt Oworu and Jamie Cudmore are the only male players in the Top 10. Matt’s steady growth to 10.4k with only 161 posts shows he is following the “high-efficiency” model of the top women’s stars.

Summary of Strategies

• The Minimalists: Chloe Daniels (83 posts) and Jamie Cudmore (120 posts) focus on high-quality, occasional updates.

• The World-Class XVs: Sophie de Goede (157 posts) relies on being the best player in the world to drive organic follows.

• The Lifestyle Daily: Olivia Apps (491 posts) and Krissy Scurfield (239 posts) provide constant, engaging content that keeps them top-of-mind for fans.

Asia Hogan Rochester

Analyzing Asia Hogan-Rochester (@asiabreezes) reveals why they have surged to the #1 spot. Asia’s profile is currently the most “viral” in Canadian rugby, benefiting from a perfect storm of on-field excellence and a distinct personal brand.

Engagement Analysis: Why Asia is #1

With 23.8k followers and only 191 posts, Asia’s account is performing well above the industry average for athletes in this tier.

• The “Twickenham Spike”: Asia’s most engaged content of the year includes their posts from the 2025 World Cup Final. Scoring two tries in front of 80,000+ people created a massive influx of international followers, particularly from the UK and New Zealand.

• Aesthetic Identity: Known for their “gameday sparkle” (glitter and vibrant hair), Asia’s content is highly visual and “shareable.” This lifestyle-meets-performance aesthetic is a key driver for Instagram’s algorithm, leading to a Follower-per-Post ratio of 124.6—the highest of any active player.

• The Sale Sharks Move: Since moving to the Sale Sharks in the UK, Asia’s engagement has shifted. They are now attracting a professional European fanbase, which is reflected in the high number of “saves” and “shares” on their training and match-day reels.

Key Takeaways for Your Analysis

1. High Virality: Asia’s growth is explosive. Unlike Olivia Apps, who has built a following over 491 posts, Asia has achieved a larger following in less than half the time (191 posts).

2. Cultural Impact: Asia’s advocacy and transparency regarding their identity as a genderfluid athlete have tapped into a community beyond rugby, providing a “reach” that other players don’t naturally have.

3. The “Sale” Effect: Now that Asia is based in Manchester, expect their follower count to continue climbing faster than the domestic-based players as they feature in the Gallagher Premiership highlights every weekend.

Comparison of the “Big Three” Engagement Styles