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Ilona Maher makes low-key debut in Bristol Bears defeat
By Ian Cameron
Ilona Maher’s eagerly anticipated debut for Bristol Bears didn't quite go to plan as the home side fell to a heavy 40-17 defeat against Gloucester-Hartpury at Ashton Gate.
The American superstar and social media sensation entered the match for the final 20 minutes but went that entire time on the pitch without seeing the ball.
Her limited involvement reflected a challenging day for the Bears, who struggled against the reigning Premiership Women’s Rugby champions.
Maher’s debut - her first appearance in 15s rugby since 2021 - started on the right wing before she was moved to the left flank.
Her most notable moment came when she failed in an attempt to dive on a loose ball, which directly led to Gloucester’s fifth try via Mia Venner. The incident spoke to a frustrating afternoon for both the player and her side, with Gloucester’s second-half dominance ensuring they remained in control throughout the match.
Bristol fell short despite tries from Millie David, Alisha Joyce-Butchers, and Sarah Bern. Gloucester-Hartpury were good value for their win, scoring six tries through Emma Sing, Natasha Hunt, Maud Muir, Rachel Lund, Venner, and Georgia Brock; with Sing adding five conversions to seal a convincing victory.
Maher's debut had drawn significant attention, with a record-breaking crowd of 9,240 fans turning out to watch the 28-year-old Olympic sevens bronze medalist make her Bristol debut. Despite the disappointing result, Maher’s arrival has already made waves off the field, with the Bears reporting a surge in replica shirt sales and a remarkable increase in their social media following.
Bristol head coach Dave Ward, speaking before the match, acknowledged the challenge of integrating Maher into the side mid-season but expressed optimism about her potential impact in the weeks to come.
Maher won an Olympic 7s bronze medal with the United States in Paris and then went on to become the runner-up on Dancing with the Stars, the American equivalent of Strictly Come Dancing.
PWR chair Genevieve Shore said: “We are excited to have Ilona in the PWR at Bristol Bears. We believe she will have an incredibly positive impact on the Bears, PWR and women’s rugby in general. Ilona is such an impressive person and, as we have seen, takes on every challenge presented to her in an incredible way."
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Latest Comments
But he chose rightly or wrongly to play for Tonga. If he wanted to play for the ABs why didn’t he hold off?
Go to comments“A succession of recent ex-players going straight back into the game as coaches in their early 40’s would prob be enough to kill it stone-dead. Innovation would die a death.”
Would it? I do think one of the major differences between rugby and most other sports - which we’ve been overlooking - is the degree to which players are expected to lead team meetings & analysis sessions and the like. Someone like Owen Farrell has basically been an assistant coach already for ten years - and he’s been so under a variety of different head coaches with different expectations and playing styles.
“The most interesting ppl I have met in the game have all coached well into their sixties and they value the time and opportunity they have had to reflect and therefore innovate in the game. That’s based on their ability to compare and contrast between multiple eras.”
I don’t doubt that that’s true. But having interesting insights doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be the best able to inspire a team, or the best at managing the backroom staff.
“Wayne Smith winning the WWC in his mid sixties three years ago prob means nothing to you but it meant a lot to him. It took him back to the roots of is own coaching journey.”
I don’t doubt that! But I don’t think coaches should be hired on the basis that it means a lot to them.
“The likes of Carlo Ancelotti and Wayne Bennett and Andy Reid all have a tale to tell. You should open your ears and listen to it!”
I agree! Never have I ever suggested otherwise!
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