Ilona Maher’s candid revelation to code switch after Bristol Bears debut

USA rugby star and social media sensation Ilona Maher admitted to being “really nervous” on her debut for Bristol Bears in their Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) defeat to Gloucester-Hartpury on Sunday.

Apart from the nerves, the USA sevens skipper also revealed that playing the 15-a-side code has come with its challenges.

Maher’s highly anticipated debut drew a club record crowd of 9,240 spectators to Ashton Gate and there was a loud cheer when she came onto the field as a replacement wing in the 61st minute of the match, which the visitors won 40-17.

Her popularity rose during the Olympics

The 28-year-old came to prominence when she captained the USA to a bronze medal in the women’s sevens competition at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Her popularity rose during that time as she became the most followed rugby page in the world with 4.6 million followers on Instagram.

She subsequently joined Bristol on a three-month contract last December and, despite her nerves on debut for the Bears, she settled quickly once she took to the field.

“I was really nervous as I put my bib away, my jacket down, and as I got in and made the first hit I was like, ‘Oh, this is just rugby.’ This is something that I do and that I love, and I felt very comfortable, to the point that I looked at the time and thought, ‘Give me 10 more minutes’,” Maher told TNT Sports after the match.

She joined Bristol in a bid to make the USA Women’s team for the upcoming Rugby World Cup in England later this year and revealed that she’s hoping to add value in her new surroundings once she’s adjusted to the rigours of the PWR and making the code switch from sevens to the 15-a-side game.

Ilona Maher’s debut attracts record crowd as Bristol Bears defeated by Gloucester-Hartpury

“It’s definitely been a lot,” said Maher. “I want to go on the field and do well for my team-mates. It’s a lot of system play. In the sevens it’s ‘get ball, run’, but [in 15s] there are so many steps in between to get that ball, but I’ve been doing my best.

‘I’m just a silent observer right now’

“It’s so different, I’m just a silent observer right now. There are so many words being thrown around. What’s been great is the team is so ready to help me with anything, even someone who plays the same position I’m going to go for.

“It’s really an environment that’s ready for me to learn.”

Maher highlighted the importance of building rugby union by attracting fans to matches and then keeping them interested by delivering a quality product.

“My thing is if I get them to a game, awesome, but I hope that they stay and realise that it’s rugby being played, and they come back for another game,” she explained.

“I think it’s getting them through the door and showing them the level that’s being played now. It’s completely different than it was three or four years ago. It’s quality stuff.”

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