Fans flock to see Ilona Maher as US star makes Bristol Bears debut in 40-17 defeat against Premiership champions Gloucester-Hartpury
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Ilona Maher admitted the nerves kicked in as she made her much-anticipated Bristol Bears debut in front of a record crowd. The second-half substitute was unable to alter the result — a 40-17 Ashton Gate defeat against Premiership champions Gloucester-Hartpury — but still proved a huge hit.
![[American back Maher has more than 8 million followers on Instagram and TikTok]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/05/22/93763049-0-image-a-21_1736115338648.jpg)
American back Maher has more than 8 million followers on Instagram and TikTok, making her the world’s most followed rugby player. Her mere presence generated a Bristol record crowd of 9,240 for a women’s game, with the 28-year-old having a 20-minute cameo off the bench.
She spent more than an hour signing autographs and posing for pictures afterwards — some fans travelled from Kentucky and Washington — underlining the impact she will make throughout her three-month stay in the West Country. ‘I was definitely very nervous,’ Maher said. ‘But I wanted to make my team-mates proud and show I deserved to be out there. Once I did get on the field I felt like, “OK, this is rugby”, it is something I have been doing for the last 10 years, it’s in my blood.
Ilona Maher admitted the nerves kicked in as she made her much-anticipated Bristol Bears debut. American back Maher has more than 8 million followers on Instagram and TikTok. ‘Once I got out there I was pretty calm.’. Maher made her presence felt in a couple of rucks and looked for work off the wing, but could make little impact as Gloucester-Hartpury dominated.
