Ilona Maher reveals her new playing position as she returns to Bristol Bears squad

American union rugby player Ilona Maher is set to make a return for the Bristol Bears on Saturday (Feb 1) after the nose injury she sustained during her match against Leicester Tigers. As per reports, she will start the match against the Loughborough Lightning and will take on the outside center position.

Owing to the nose injury, Maher was forced to miss a match against the Trailfinders Women, which the Bears lost by a margin of 38-39. However, after a slight rest, she will be back in the field on Saturday as her side looks to bounce back after the defeat.

Maher took to her Instagram handle to share her reaction to this news on her story. She posted the starting lineup of Bristol Bears from tomorrow's match and added further:

"Tomorrow Trying my hand at 13"

Screenshot of Maher's Instagram story feat her reaction on her return (Image via: Maher's Instagram handle)

Maher's side, Bristol Bears, is currently in the fifth position in the PWR Women's table with eight wins in their 15 matches. The Bears have two more remaining matches in the season after the clash against Loughborough Lightning on Saturday against the Chiefs and Harlequins Women.

Ilona Maher shares her pre-existing thoughts about Bristol before joining the Bears

Ilona Maher during the Premiership Women's rugby match between the Trailfinders and the Bristol Bears on January 25 (Image via: Getty Images)

Ilona Maher shared her thoughts about the city of Bristol before joining the Premiership Women's rugby side, Bristol Bears. This comes just a few days back during her time at the "For the Love of Rugby" podcast with English rugby players, Dan Cole and Ben Youngs.

Maher shared that she had very little information about Bristol and she only knew that she could probably find sausage rolls in the town. She said (2:20 onwards):

"I didn't know anything about Bristol, I knew it was a very happening town that's what everyone was saying, it's a very cool town to live in. So that was cool to hear as being approached by the Bristol Bears. You know I didn't knew anything about it, I was like it's in England and they probably have sausage roll, that's it."

Further speaking about the accents in England, Ilona Maher said (3:45 onwards):

"So different whereas in America I think we have some but it's very all similar like you go to in the South, it'll be different but you can't even understand these people in Yorkshire"

Both Dan Cole and Ben Youngs have more than 100 appearances for the English national side with the former also winning a silver and bronze World Cup medal with the side.