Ilona Maher in line for Bristol Bears debut as 8,000 fans expected at Ashton Gate for Premiership Women’s Rugby | Rugby Union News
Ilona Maher is in line to make her debut from the Bristol Bears bench on Sunday as 8,000 fans are expected at Ashton Gate for their Premiership Women’s Rugby clash against Gloucester-Hartpury.
The American rugby sevens star has signed a major three-month deal for Bristol and has 3.3 million followers on TikTok and 4.6 million on Instagram.
The 28-year-old rose to fame during the 2021 Tokyo Olympics when she posted videos on social media from the Olympic village affected by the COVID-19, and again proved to be an important figure at the 2024 Paris Olympics when the USA won bronze in the heptathlon.
Maher will make his first Bristol appearance on Sunday after being named as a 23rd substitute for PWR’s visit to defending champions Gloucester-Hartpury.
“With a crowd of almost 8,000 expected at Ashton Gate on Sunday, it’s a very exciting event and we hope to give them something to cheer for,” Bristol head coach Dave Ward said.
“We understand the importance of the game in the context of our season and the quality of the current champions, but we go into the game with confidence and enjoying the opportunity and the challenge.”
World Rugby chairman Alan Gilpin said he was confident TikTok sensation Maher was just what the sport needed as momentum built towards the World Cup in England this summer.
Gilpin said: “We know these brilliant young women come into the game with compelling personal stories, with really strong personalities, seeing the game as a great platform to build their own brands like Ilona has.
“It’s actually a great example for the men’s game and I think that’s what we need in rugby.
“We know there’s this shift in fandom towards fans following individual players in the women’s game, and the platform we’re going to give them at the Women’s World Cup is certainly an approach to that.
“We are really excited about what Ilona and many other brilliant women will bring next year.”
Maher followed her bronze medal at the Olympics with a performance in America Strictly Come Dancing equivalent, Dancing with the starswhere she was a finalist.
Gilpin added: “Ilona is unique in many ways because she is a pioneer in the women’s game, but there are a whole host of brilliant women playing in this tournament next year.
“Ilona gave everyone permission to go and be who they are.”
The Bristol Bears team will face Gloucester-Hartpury at Ashton Gate on Sunday (12.45pm KO):
Bristol Bears: 15 Jasmine Joyce-Butchers, 14 Reneeqa Bonner, 13 Courtney Keight, 12 Phoebe Murray, 11 Millie David, 10 Holly Aitchison (vc), 9 Ffion Lewis; 1 Hannah Botterman, 2 Lark Atkin-Davies, 3 Sarah Bern, 4 Hollie Cunningham, 5 Abbie Ward (c), 6 Alisha Joyce-Butchers, 7 Evie Gallagher, 8 Rownita Marston-Mulhearn.
Replacements: 16 Jess Sprague, 17 Simi Pam, 18 Holly Phillips, 19 Delaney Burns, 20 Gabriella Nigrelli, 21 Tilly Ryall, 22 Meg Varley, 23 Ilona Maher.
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