Ilona Maher makes her feelings known after sharing the field with Exeter Chiefs star Claudia MacDonald in PWR

Ilona Maher talked about playing against Exeter Chiefs' standout player Claudia Macdonald after Bristol Bears trounced the Chiefs on January 12, 2025. Maher will play in PWR on a three-month contract en route to the 2025 Rugby World Cup with Team USA.

Following an impressive 2024 season, the 29-year-old joined the Premiership women's Rugby on a three-month contract. She started her tenure with her new team, Bristol Bears, making a debut as a substitute against Gloucester-Hartpury on January 5, 2025. Despite her 20-minute on-field appearance, the Bears team fell short of the win.

Ilona Maher next played with the Bears against Exeter Chiefs on January 12, scoring her first try and contributing to her team's win 41-31. In a recent Instagram post, she shouted out to the legendary Chiefs player Claudia MacDonald, taking pride in sharing the field with her.

"An honor to play against one of the best @claud_macdonald," her caption read.

MacDonald spoke about the 'head-to-head' battle against Maher, appreciating her for significantly contributing to the sport.

"Ilona, she has done amazing things for his game so from that sense, it's going to be a privilege against someone who's had such a positive impact on women's rugby. Other than that, I hope we have just a bit of a battle. Maybe she'll get one up on me and I'll get a couple up on her."

The other standout players who led the Bristol Bears to victory were Phoebe Murray and Meg Varley.

Ilona Maher after her debut stint in the main Bears squad - "The team is so welcoming and it's such a cool environment"

Ilona Maher at the Bristol Bears v Gloucester-Hartpury - Allianz Premiership Women's Rugby - (Source: Getty)

Having played rugby sevens, Ilona Maher shifted to 15s to secure a spot in the US squad for the 2025 Rugby World Cup, set to begin on August 22, 2025. After winning her first match with the team, Maher expressed contentment in choosing the Bears team for her three-month PWR term.

"The team is so welcoming and it's such a cool environment to learn in. It's the best team I could've chosen. I haven't played at this level so to get my feet wet in this has been something that will help me go into a World Cup to be the best player I can be for the USA," Maher told TNT Sports. (via BBC)

Maher, a member of the rugby sevens team that won bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics, also tasted success in the social media forum. Her unique take on different topics and advocacy for body positivity made her the most followed rugby player on social media. Normalizing applying make-up for women in masculine sports, Maher graced the Sports Illustrated cover in the Swimsuit issue for the 2025 fold.