Ilona Maher: Women’s rugby is changing – please keep coming out and supporting Premiership Women’s Rugby
Ilona Maher played her final game for Bristol Bears on Sunday, bidding an emotional farewell as her side fell to a Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) semi-final defeat to defending champions Gloucester-Hartpury.
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 Gloucester, but her side could not kick on as they fell to a 36-20 defeat in front of almost 7,000 fans.
Maher signed with Bristol on a three-month contract in January after helping the USA win Olympic bronze in sevens over the summer.
Her first appearance for the club on January 5 – also against Gloucester-Hartpury – set a new league record for attendance as 9,240 fans flocked to Ashton Gate, while Harlequins and Trailfinders have also set record club attendances since Maher’s arrival.
A visibly emotional Maher posted on Instagram afterwards: “To all of you, women’s rugby is changing. Please keep coming out and supporting and fill these seats.
“We’re setting records and we need you to buy the shirt, come to the games.
“This has been an honour to wear this jersey and I just hope that we can continue, even when I’m not playing in the PWR. There’s something special going on here.”
Gloucester-Hartpury secured PWR semi-final victory over Bristol Bears to make a third final in succession
In the aftermath of Sunday’s clash, Maher added: “I never say never [about returning to PWR]. I think it was amazing I got to come and play here for two-and-a-half months.
“What I was hopefully able to do and learn in two-and-a-half months was amazing but I hope that, even if I’m not playing, this league continues to grow and we can get these numbers out to games.
“I’m proud to have been part of this team [and] special programme they have here.
“The girls were so welcoming and made me part of the team, and I got to play with some of England’s best players, and Welsh and Scottish, so it just set me up to be more successful at the World Cup.
“I’ll be playing against them – I wish I was playing with them but it was amazing.
“It’ll be a lot of continuing to learn the game and put myself in the position to make a roster for the World Cup, but also be the best player I can be in the World Cup.”
Bristol head coach Dave Ward said afterwards Maher “put us on the map”, saying: “The energy that she brought to the squad is exactly what we needed at the time.
“She feels confident going to the USA and I for one can’t wait to see her at the World Cup.”
Sky Sports will exclusively show the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour of Australia, with all three Tests against the Wallabies and six warm-up matches to be shown exclusively live.
