Ilona Maher draws record crowd on Bristol bow but Gloucester spoil party | Premiership Women’s Rugby

Premiership Girls’s Rugby has by no means seen a debut like Ilona Maher’s for Bristol Bears. The membership greater than doubled their file attendance with the 9,240 supporters additionally breaking the group file for a standalone PWR regular-season match. Maher’s presence was the reason for the inflow of followers with the fixture in opposition to Gloucester-Hartpury moved to Ashton Gate from Shaftesbury Park after the USA worldwide’s signing was introduced in December.

Such is the Maher impact that the sport was broadcast internationally, together with the US and New Zealand. Supporters needed to wait to see the 28-year-old in motion as she began from the bench however she entered the fray within the 61st minute to a deafening roar. She made an awesome hit on Rachel Lund as her first motion on the pitch however Maher, who was enjoying 15s rugby for the primary time since 2021, didn’t obtain a cross. It was additionally not the end result she or Bristol would have needed as Gloucester upset the social gathering with a bonus-point win over their rivals.

After spending greater than an hour signing autographs post-match, Maher mentioned: “It’s attention-grabbing, it is extremely totally different from sevens. Sevens is a really fast little battle. Sevens is a battle and 15s is a battle, it carries on in so many moments. The ball goes this fashion, we finish the half up after which it shifts the opposite means. I feel it was robust on the market.

“I used to be simply making an attempt to look at and perceive; OK Ren [Reneeqa Bonner], Millie [David] are doing this, what do I have to do once I get in? I feel every sport I’m going to be taught increasingly. You do be taught lots by shedding but in addition it places a hearth below you for the following sport.”

Pre-match the bottom was abuzz with Maher fever and two hours earlier than kick-off followers had been already beginning to arrive. Overheard conversations had been all concerning the membership’s star signing and among the many file crowd had been a bunch of gamers from Macclesfield RUFC, who drove over 120 miles for Maher.

Numerous supporters had been attending their first rugby sport, together with fan Tally Bevis. Initially from Nashville, Tennessee, however finding out a graduate diploma at College School London, Bevis travelled to Bristol simply to see Maher and has been following the participant for the reason that buildup to the Paris Olympics.

Bevis, who was carrying a brand new Maher Bristol shirt, mentioned: “I knew this might be doubtlessly the primary sport she might play [but] I actually didn’t thoughts if she performed or not, I simply knew she can be right here and I needed to help the group she had joined. She is so viral, cool, actual and humorous on-line that it felt pure for me to leap on a prepare, order a jersey and get to the sport.

“I’m so excited to see a brand new sport. I really like the truth that an American lady is coming to the UK to hone her craft, to get higher and try to obtain much more. Some individuals would cease as an Olympic medallist, it seems like a peak for most individuals, however she hasn’t stopped and it’s so encouraging. It’s so thrilling she is right here, I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

When she first emerged for a warm-up, Maher ran throughout the pitch and a ripple of cheers flowed round Ashton Gate. It was additionally no shock that when the groups had been introduced, the largest cheer got here for the US participant. Fireworks welcomed the groups to the pitch earlier than Maher took her seat on the bench.

Much like their sport in opposition to Exeter Chiefs final outing, Gloucester absorbed a number of stress within the early phases however had been the primary to attain. A superb weaving run noticed in-form full-back Emma Sing over. Bristol responded completely as David, the league’s prime strive scorer, hit again along with her twelfth strive of the season.

Gloucester’s Lleucu George was proven a yellow card subsequent and Bristol took full benefit of being a participant up. An excellent dummy cross and footwork from Alisha Joyce-Butchers noticed her rating to provide the facet a 10-7 lead on the break.

What began out as a moist and windy day turned calm and sunny for the second half however the icy edge to the native derby didn’t thaw. Gloucester’s co-captain Mo Hunt sniped to attain to sway momentum of their path with Maud Muir and replacements Lund, Mia Venner and Georgia Brock all dotting down.

Bristol replied with a comfort strive from Sarah Bern. Gloucester transfer to second within the desk with the victory and the defeat provides stress to fifth-placed Bristol, with the battle for top-four locations taking place to the wire with six regular-season rounds left to go.