Premiership Women's Rugby semi-finals: Gloucester-Hartpury beat Ilona Maher's Bristol Bears to make third final in a row

Gloucester-Hartpury secured PWR semi-final victory over Bristol Bears on Sunday

Gloucester-Hartpury will have the chance to make it a hat-trick of Premiership Women's Rugby titles as they beat Ilona Maher's Bristol Bears 36-20 in Sunday's semi-final. 

Played in front of nearly 7000 supporters at 'Queensholm', Gloucester trailed 10-0 early on as the visitors dominated the opening stages.

Indeed, the game was tight until 14 minutes to go when Hannah Jones' scored the try that finally ended Bristol hopes.

With more than eight million followers across Instagram and TikTok, 28-year-old USA back Maher is the world's most followed rugby player on social media and got on the scoresheet in what proved to be her final game for the club on Sunday, but her side couldn't kick on.

Gloucester will now head to the StoneX Stadium for the final against Saracens as they look to make it three in a row in PWR.

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Ilona Maher, the world's most followed rugby player on social media, was in tears following the defeat - her final game for Bristol

Bristol started brilliantly when Lark Atkin-Davies got over for her 11th try of the season from a rolling maul after 15 minutes, while another rolling maul on 24 minutes saw the same player get over for her second of the afternoon.

Gloucester-Hartpury had barely got into Bears territory but took advantage of their first real chance. It came from a brilliant charge by Alex Matthews off the back of a scrum, with El Perry eventually powering over from close range. Emma Sing missed a kickable conversion and Bristol led 10-5 approaching the half-hour.

It was the spark they needed and after Lleucu George was stopped just short of the line, the ball was recycled for Sarah Beckett to dive over unchallenged. From out wide, Sing adjusted her radar and put the home side in front 12-10.

The momentum had clearly swung, and life got even harder for Bears just before half-time when Evie Gallagher was sent to the sin-bin for a high tackle on Pip Hendy, giving Gloucester a final chance before the break.

They did not need a second invitation, a good rolling maul set up the backs for Sing to go over after a good wide pass from George. She converted her own try and the defending champions led 19-10 at the break.

Bears needed to strike first in the second half and they did just that. Maher crashed over in the left corner after they had worked their way into Gloucester territory despite being down a player.

Under pressure, the champions turned to the England captain Zoe Aldcroft for inspiration and she powered over from close range, with Sing's conversion allowing them to go 26-15 ahead.

Still, Bristol kept coming, Millie David somehow finishing on the right as she touched down despite the attentions of two tacklers, making it a one-score game once again.

It was then that Jones struck, racing over from 30 metres out for the crucial score. Sing's conversion left Bears with a mountain to climb, and it was a task that became even more difficult when she added another penalty that effectively sealed the win.

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