Ilona Maher Shines in Premiership Debut, Eyes 2025 Rugby World Cup

Ilona Maher's rugby journey is far from over. The 28-year-old American star, who guided the U.S. to a bronze medal in the sevens at the 2024 Paris Olympics, is now eyeing a spot in the 2025 Rugby World Cup. Maher made her debut for the Bristol Bears women's side in Premiership Women's Rugby (PWR) on Sunday, coming on as a substitute in the 40-17 defeat to Gloucester-Hartpury at Ashton Gate. The match was moved to the 27,000-seater stadium due to overwhelming demand for tickets, with 9,240 fans in attendance to watch Maher make her debut. The star power was inescapable, with Maher spending 90 minutes or so signing autographs and taking photographs with fans after the game. 'I love being a superstar, people call me the superstar of rugby, but that's not enough for the sport. We can't just have one superstar. We need to have more, we need to have people connecting with so many different players and that is what will grow our game,' said Maher. Maher's mantra is 'beast, beauty, brains' and much of her advocacy is around body positivity and growing participation in women's sports. 'I am proud. I think that it's cool to be the face of a sport that isn't thought of as a women's sport,' said Maher. 'It's a men's sport, so to be a face of it and also the impact I'm having, I think it is felt across both men's and women's. And I've had some of the best men's players in the world say 'keep doing what you're doing' because I think everyone sees value in it and if one rises, we all rise.' Maher is looking to carry her success in sevens to the 15-a-side code and is determined to help grow the sport. 'I've seen the power in it and I've seen the power of people connecting with the individual and then going to a sport. You know, people connect with [basketball star] Caitlin Clark and go see a game, and that brings more fans in. So if we can have more people connect with Holly Aitchison, Jazz Joyce, Evie Gallagher, that brings them in, that brings fans in,' said Maher. 'So that's my goal. I love being a superstar, people call me the superstar of rugby, but that's not enough for the sport. We can't just have one superstar. We need to have more, we need to have people connecting with so many different players and that is what will grow our game.'