Skip to content

Ilona Maher announced in Bristol Bears starting team for Premiership Women's Rugby clash vs Exeter Chiefs

Ilona Maher will make first Bristol Bears start vs Exeter on Sunday in Premiership Women's Rugby; Last week she came off the bench vs Gloucester-Hartpury in front of record crowd of 9,240; Maher is the most followed rugby player in the world on social media, with more than eight million

Friday 10 January 2025 18:22, UK

Maher
Image: TikTok sensation Ilona Maher will make her first start for Bristol Bears on Sunday vs Exeter in Premiership Women's Rugby

USA rugby star Ilona Maher is set to make her first start for the Bristol Bears on Sunday at the Exeter Chiefs in Premiership Women's Rugby.

The 28-year-old, who helped lead the USA to a bronze medal in rugby sevens at the Paris Olympics, will start on the wing vs Exeter on Sunday having made her debut as a replacement an hour into Bristol's 40-17 loss to defending champions Gloucester-Hartpury last week.

The arrival of Maher, the most followed rugby player on social media, has boosted ticket sales, with her debut drawing 9,240 fans to Ashton Gate - a record league attendance.

Exeter didn't release figures but said Sunday's game at Sandy Park will feature "our biggest home crowd this season."

Maher has more than eight million followers combined on Instagram and TikTok. She also was a runner-up on Dancing With The Stars - the American equivalent of Strictly Come Dancing.

Ilona Maher, Bristol Bears (PA Images)
Image: Maher made her Bristol Bears debut in front of a record league crowd on Sunday from the bench

Maher on her PWR debut for Bristol

"I was definitely very nervous. But then I think I wanted to make my team-mates proud and show I deserved to be out there. Once I did get on the field I felt like 'OK, this is rugby' it is something I have been doing for the last 10 years now, it's in my blood.

"I didn't feel nervous pre-match or this morning. It wasn't until I was on the bench. I think it's almost more (nervous) to be a sub, because you think 'maybe I will touch the ball once and I won't mess it up'. But once I got out there I was pretty calm."

The Vermont-native is returning to the 15-a-side game in hopes of boosting her chances of making the USA squad for the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup in England.

Last Sunday's game was her first 15s appearance since 2021.

Also See:

The USA's opening World Cup game is against tournament favourites England in Sunderland on August 22.

ilona maher
Image: Maher claimed bronze with the United States women's rugby sevens team at this summer's Olympics in Paris

Maher's three-month Bristol contract began in a repeat of last season's Premiership final, and she emerged after 60 minutes with her team 18 points adrift following a Gloucester scoring burst of three tries in eight minutes that secured a bonus-point.

Maher had already made a significant impact, underpinning a considerable increase in replica shirt sales, while Bristol's Instagram following has risen from 21,000 to 67,000 since her signing was announced.

Sky Sports+ has officially launched and will be integrated into Sky TV, streaming service NOW and the Sky Sports app, giving Sky Sports customers access to over 50 per cent more live sport this year at no extra cost. Find out more here.

Around Sky

Upgrade to Sky Sports to watch over 200 live festive football matches and all the darts

Not got Sky? Get instant access to Sky Sports with no contract