Ilona Maher draws record crowd on Bristol bow but Gloucester spoil party

The US sevens superstar drew supporters from far and wide for her Premiership Women’s Rugby debut

Premiership Women’s Rugby has never seen a debut like Ilona Maher’s for Bristol Bears. The club more than doubled their record attendance with the 9,240 supporters also breaking the crowd record for a standalone PWR regular-season match. Maher’s presence was the cause of the influx of fans with the fixture against Gloucester-Hartpury moved to Ashton Gate from Shaftesbury Park after the USA international’s signing was announced in December.

Such is the Maher effect that the game was broadcast across the world, including the US and New Zealand. Supporters had to wait to see the 28-year-old in action as she started from the bench but she entered the fray in the 61st minute to a deafening roar. She made a great hit on Rachel Lund as her first action on the pitch but Maher, who was playing 15s rugby for the first time since 2021, did not receive a pass. It was also not the result she or Bristol would have wanted as Gloucester upset the party with a bonus-point win over their rivals.

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