U.S. rugby star Ilona Maher made her debut for the Bristol Bears women’s team in front of a record home crowd of 9,240 fans on Sunday.

Bristol Bears lost at home to Gloucester-Hartpury in their opening match of 2025, as Ilona Maher made her debut for the hosts from the bench.

Maher's presence for the game against champions Gloucester-Hartpury generated a Bristol record crowd of 9,240 for a women's game. Sunday's final crowd tally smashed the Bears' previous record of 4,101 and set the competition record.

U.S. rugby star Ilona Maher made her debut for the Bristol Bears women's team in front of a record home crowd of 9,240 fans on Sunday. But Maher, "the most followed rugby player on the planet,” could not prevent Bristol from losing 40-17 to defending champion Gloucester-Hartpury in a Premiership Women’s Rugby match.

The pre-match metallic fireworks that erupted into the sky was English rugby’s way of welcoming its latest superstar. Ilona Maher, the most followed rugby player on social media and now as a cult heroine in the sport,