American superstar Ilona Maher set to make debut for Bristol

USA Sevens superstar Ilona Maher is set to finally make her Bristol Bears debut after signing for the English side at the start of December on a three-month deal.

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Such is the hype behind the 28-year-old’s arrival in Bristol, over 8,000 tickets having already been sold for their upcoming match against local rivals Gloucester-Hartpury, causing the match to be moved from Shaftesbury Park to Ashton Gate. Maher is to wear the number 23 shirt as she waits patiently for her opportunity to take to the field.

One thing is for sure, however, she will get quite some reception from the record home crowd.

Ilona Maher has been named on the bench for Bristol’s match against Gloucester-Hartpury this Sunday #PWR https://t.co/URe8eJQOuB

— Sarah Rendell (@rendellx) January 3, 2025

Speaking about the intense build-up to the match, head coach Dave Ward told BBC Radio Bristol: “Lana Skeldon came up to me yesterday and she said ‘Dave are you nervous?’ I said, ‘I’m excited Lana because this is it’.

“We’ve got, I think, 7-8,000 people on Sunday, it’s a re-run of the final, this game means something, there’s points on the line, there’s people looking for international call-ups for the Six Nations.

“This is it, why we get out of bed in the morning and work the long hours.”

For those who haven’t been living under a rugby ball-shaped rock for the past year, let us explain who this new rugby phenomenon is.

The 28-year-old rose to international fame last year when Team USA Sevens won Olympic bronze for the first ever time at the 2024 Paris Games, and has since gone on to become he most followed rugby player on social media

A versatile player, Maher has previously operated in the centres and on the wing but has confirmed that she would be open to a placement in the back row if deemed suitable. From Burlington, Vermont, the world’s most famous female rugby spent much of her childhood heavily involved in sports, focused on hockey, baseball and softball, before finally turning her attention to rugby. Prior to her Olympic exploits, Maher achieved a high level of education, completing her bachelor’s degree in nursing at Quinnipiac University before gaining her master’s degree in business administration from DeVry University.

Maher’s first major breakthrough came in 2018 when she made her international debut at a Sevens tournament in Paris. From there, she competed at the Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018 on home soil in San Francisco and later at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Maher was invited to the Women’s Eagles fifteens camp in 2021, making her official debut against Canada during the Pacific Four Series.

At 1.70m and 90kg, Maher is known for her powerful style of play in both attack and defence, Not only this, but due to her impressive physical stature, the American has become somewhat of an icon for women everywhere, setting a new standard of physical acceptance. Recently appearing on the front cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, Maher said: “I was always like, you know, called masculine or whatever,

“But I never felt that way. But I don’t think you’re going to bully the girl who could probably beat you up in a rage. 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.” 

At the time of her signing back in December, Maher said in a statement on social media: “I am excited to join the Bristol Bears and put myself in the best position to earn a spot to represent the USA in the 2025 Rugby World Cup alongside such a talented and driven group as the Bears.”

Ward added: “This is a huge coup to be able to bring Ilona Maher to Bristol Bears on a short-term deal. She is one of the biggest names in women’s sport, let alone rugby, and we believe she will add real value to our programme on and off the field.

“Ilona is one of the standout stars in the sevens game and we can’t wait to see her play for Bears in XVs. Her ability ball in hand will give our attack a new dimension and her desire to star in the Rugby World Cup in England next summer is a huge driving force for her to achieve great things at Bears.

“Her profile as an athlete to inspire the next generation aligns exactly with ours as a club and we can only applaud the work she has and will do for the women’s game.”