Featured Image: Wilson Stratton/Unsplash
A crowd of 9,240 came to Ashton Gate to see Ilona Maher make her debut for Bristol Bears as the side took on Gloucester-Hartpury in what was a record attendance for a standalone Premiership Women's Rugby regular season match.
The game was moved to the ground from Shaftesbury Park after the USA international’s signing was announced in December.
Maher, who won rugby sevens bronze at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, was playing 15-a-side rugby for the first time since 2021.
She entered the game from the substitute’s bench in the 61st minute but was unable to prevent her team from suffering a heavy 40-17 defeat.
“It is interesting, it is very different from sevens,” Maher said, as reported by the Guardian.
“Sevens is a very quick little battle. Sevens is a battle and 15s is a war, it carries on in so many moments. The ball goes this way, we end the half up and then it shifts the other way. I think it was tough out there.
“I was just trying to watch and understand; OK Ren [Reneeqa Bonner], Millie [David] are doing this, what do I need to do when I get in? I think each game I am going to learn more and more. You do learn a lot by losing but also it puts a fire under you for the next game.”
Maher is considered a superstar of the game not only for her abilities on the field, but also for her presence off it.
With more than four million followers on Instagram, she is the most followed rugby player on the platform and she also boasts more than three million on TikTok.
The 28-year-old has been commended for her work promoting body positivity and encouraging more women and girls to take up rugby.
Share this