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Ilona Maher called for support from her fans to attend the Bristol Bears game against Gloucester-Hartpury for their southwest derby on Sunday, January 5. Maher has signed a three-month contract with the PWR Bears' team, looking forward to the World Rugby Championships.
Maher, a member of the US women's rugby sevens bronze-winning team at the Paris Olympics, became the most followed rugby player on social media. Her unique skits and advocacy for body positivity garnered love and respect from fans worldwide. She even graced the Dancing With the Stars series, taking the runners-up trophy with partner Alan Bersten.
Maher then returned to rugby in the Premiership Women's Rugby on a three-year contract with the Bristol Bears starting in January. Her presence in the team will expect a packed Ashton Gates stadium with a record audience as the Bears will lock horns with the Gloucester-Hartpury on Sunday.
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She took to her Instagram story on January 3 to announce her upcoming game on Sunday. Maher firmly asked her social fans to show up at Ashton Gate and support the team despite the chilly January weather, writing:
"Get your tickets now to the game Sunday @ashtongatestadium. I don't care if it's freezing cold, come out and support some great rugby!!"
World Rugby chief executive Alan Gilpin talked about how Ilona Maher has changed the appearance of women's sports and also encouraged the Bears members to embrace themselves.
"Ilona is unique in so many ways because she is a trailblazer in the women's game, but there are a whole host of brilliant women that are going to play in this tournament. Ilona has given permission to everybody to go and be themselves," Gilpin said (via Rugby.com).
The women's Rugby World Cup final will take place at Twickenham, the English rugby union's headquarters on September 27, 2025.
Ilona Maher expressed her wish to be part of the Rugby World Cup in 2025
Wanting to play in the English top flight to get a chance to represent the US in the World Cup, Ilona Maher sent applications to several PWR teams by the end of 2023. She didn't receive a call back until the Bristol Bears reached out while she was participating in Dancing With the Stars. The club even arranged for her visa with the help of the Rugby Football Union.
Having been in the US for approximately seven years, Maher wished to take on a new challenge in England with the Rugby World Cup in mind. Speaking to the Guardian in an exclusive published on December 2, 2024, Maher said:
"I want to put myself in the best position to hopefully be selected for the World Cup. I think there are many reasons. I really love what the PWR is doing and I think I love their branding, I think that’s really cool. I have been in the USA sevens for six years now. So I wanted to try something different, go and live somewhere else, meet new people." (via The Guardian)
Talking about moving herself out of her comfort zone, she added:
"I do feel like the first day of school, I am nervous, I don’t know everybody. It is a stressful thing and it is outside of my comfort zone but I think this is exactly what I love to do and I like to challenge myself in this way.”
Ilona Maher traveled to the Tokyo Olympics as part of the US women's rugby seven team. She also represented the US team in the 2022 Rugby World Cup Sevens and helped the team reach the semi-finals.
