Ilona Maher: Bristol Bears new signing to debut from the bench
New Bristol Bears signing Ilona Maher will make her debut from the bench in Sunday’s Premiership Women’s Rugby match against Gloucester-Hartpury.
The American utility back confirmed he was joining the club on a three-month deal last month.
Maher, 28, is the most followed rugby union player in the world on social media, with 4.5 million followers on Instagram and 3.2 million followers on TikTok.
Due to demand for tickets, the clash with reigning PWR champions Bristol Bears Women has been moved from Shaftesbury Park to Ashton Gate, their usual ground, with almost 8,000 sold by Friday morning.
Maher, who can play at center or wing, won an Olympic bronze medal with the US rugby sevens team at the Games in Paris last summer and the move to Bristol marks her return to the 15-a-side for the first time since 2021 .
Her inclusion is one of four changes that head coach Dave Ward has made to the 23-player matchday squad, with England’s Holly Cunningham recalled to the second-row and Wales’ Fifion Lewis to the first row at scrum-half. Has been called to begin.
Meg Varley joins Maher among the replacements after recovering from a long-term foot injury.
Ward said the Round 12 game “means something”.
He told BBC Radio Bristol: “Lana Skeldon (Hooker) came to me yesterday and said ‘Dave are you nervous?’ I said, ‘I’m excited Lana because this is it.’
“I think, we have 7-8,000 people on Sunday, it’s a repeat of the final, this game means something, there are points on the line, people are looking for an international call-up for the Six Nations.
“That’s why we get out of bed in the morning and work long hours.”
