Ilona Maher signs for Bristol Bears

USA sevens star Ilona Maher has ended days of speculation by signing a contract with Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) club Bristol Bears.

Maher, the most followed rugby player on social media, has agreed to join Bears in January on a three-month deal as she bids to earn a place in the USA squad for Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 in England.

The Olympic bronze medallist has taken a sabbatical from the HSBC SVNS series in order to chase her World Cup dream and travelled to the UK on Sunday.

She posted a video to her 4.6 million Instagram followers ahead of her boarding a plane to London but left fans guessing about her ultimate destination.

Maher was similarly coy when she got to England, redacting the name of the club that met her at the airport in one Story.

We now know that it is Bristol who have won the race for her signature. It remains to be seen where the sevens star will line up on the pitch, although in the announcement of her signing the Bears described her as a “versatile back, who can operate at centre and wing”.

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.”

Bears 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.

‘This Energy Never Stops’ – Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025

‘This Energy Never Stops’ – Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025

“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.”

News of Maher’s latest move comes less than a week after she finished second on the American reality TV show, Dancing With The Stars.

That timespan hints at her desire to make the move to XVs a success but also suggests she is aware of the work that lies ahead if she is to force her way back into the Women’s Eagles set-up.

Despite being a star of the sevens circuit, Maher has won only two Test caps, both of which came against Canada more than three years ago.

Her only Test start came on the right wing in a 26-13 defeat in Colorado in November 2021, but there has been some suggestion that she will be used either in the centres or back-row in PWR.