"This is hilarious" - Ilona Maher reacts to Keira Bevan and Alisha Joyce Butchers inviting fans for Bears' clash against Loughborough Lightning

Ilona Maher reacted to her Bristol Bears teammates, Keira Bevan and Alisha Joyce Butchers hilariously inviting Bristol fans to attend their next game at Shaftesbury Park on February 1, 2025. Maher missed the last game against the Trailfinders because of a nose injury.

Maher is expected to return to take on Loughborough Lightning on February 1, 2025. Two of her teammates, Keira Bevan and Alisha Joyce Butchers, took over Bears' Instagram to invite fans to Shaftesbury Park but struggled to give the details in one go.

Here's the video of Bevan and Joyce Butchers hilariously trying to be in sync:

Maher, amused by the clip, left a comment on the post:

"This is hilarious. This needs to be collab-ed with them! They are too funny."

Ilona Maher reacts to her teammates inviting fans for Bristol match; Instagram - @bristolbearswomen

Maher garnered a record audience at the Ashton Gate Stadium when she made her PWR debut with the Bristol Bears. Though her field appearance was brief, she became a fan favorite, signing autographs and posing for selfies. She anchored her team to a win in the next game against the Exeter Chiefs before facing a setback.

Ilona Maher signed a three-month contract with the UK-based Premiership Women's Rugby to earn a spot in Team USA for the 2025 Rugby World Cup.

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Ilona Maher on her plan behind shifting from rugby sevens to 15s

In Picture: Maher looks on during the Bristol Bears v Gloucester-Hartpury - (Source: Getty)

Ilona Maher has a history of playing rugby 15s, having last competed in 2021. Now playing in the Premier Women's Rugby (PWR), the 28-year-old aims to gain sufficient experience to put forth her best game at the World Cup in 2025. In an interview, she stated the reason behind the conscious decision to shift from sevens to 15s.

"I think success will look to me if I understand the game of 15s more. I am in it, I feel the flow of it. I have been doing sevens for so long that I [know] sevens like the back of my hand, I feel very comfortable with it," she said. (via The Guardian)

Maher added:

“With 15s it’s all rugby but it is a little different so [success would be] feeling like I can enter that USA team not feeling like I am catching up, [I want to feel like] I’ve caught up. I am there and fit seamlessly in.”

The rugby player gained fame as a body positivity advocate, breaking stereotypes for women in masculine sports by playing rugby with makeup on. Ilona Maher amassed nearly eight million followers on social media and became the most followed rugby player.