United States sevens star Ilona Maher will join Bristol Bears in January for the rest of the season with the aim of appearing at next year’s World Cup.
Maher, the game’s most popular player on social media with over eight million followers including 4.6million on Instagram, was a standout performer in the Eagles’ bronze medal finish at the Olympics during the summer. The 28-year-old plays centre and wing and her arrival will bolster Bristol’s pursuit of the Premiership Women’s Rugby title.
Maher has spent the last three years in the USA’s sevens programme but is seeking to relaunch her 15s career with the 2025 World Cup taking place next autumn.
Maher joins the Bears with her sights set on earning a place in the USA squad for the 2025 World Cup in England, with two quarter finals and both semi-finals taking place at Ashton Gate.
The versatile back, who can operate at centre and wing, made her international debut at the 2018 Paris Sevens tournament and from there, competed at the Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018 on home soil in San Francisco and later the Tokyo 2020 Olympics held in 2021.
A now two-time Olympian, Maher would consecutively be selected for the Paris 2024 games three years later, showcasing a devastating combination of speed and power. Maher earned an invite to the Women’s Eagles fifteens camp in 2021, making her official debut against Canada during the Pacific Four Series in Glendale, CO.
Head Coach, Dave Ward, said: “This is a huge coup to be able to bring Ilona Maher to Bristol Bears on a short-term deal. She is one of the biggest names in women’s sport, let alone rugby, and we believe she will add real value to our programme on and off the field.
“Ilona is one of the standout stars in the sevens game and we can’t wait to see her play for Bears in XVs. Her ability ball in hand will give our attack a new dimension and her desire to star in the Rugby World Cup in England next summer is a huge driving force for her to achieve great things at Bears.
“Her profile as an athlete to inspire the next generation aligns exactly with ours as a club and we can only applaud the work she has and will do for the women’s game.”
Maher said: “I am excited to join the Bristol Bears and put myself in the best position to earn a spot to represent USA in the 2025 Rugby World Cup alongside such a talented and driven group as the Bears.”