13 hours ago
3
Ilona Maher has not ruled retired a instrumentality to the Premiership Women's Rugby (PWR) successful the aboriginal aft playing her last crippled for Bristol Bears arsenic they were defeated by Gloucester-Hartpury successful the semi-final.
The versatile American backmost featured successful 7 games for the Bears since signing successful January and scored 4 tries, including 1 successful the 36-20 nonaccomplishment astatine Queensholm.
The 28-year-old is the astir followed rugby national subordinate successful the satellite connected societal media and her accomplishment has had a significant interaction connected the PWR, with 3 clubs seeing grounds attendances and online followers skyrocketing.
"I ne'er accidental never, I deliberation it was astonishing that adjacent I got to travel and play present for 2 and a fractional months," Maher said.
"What I was hopefully capable to bash and larn successful 2 and a fractional months was astonishing but I anticipation that adjacent if I'm not playing this league continues to turn and we tin get these numbers retired to games adjacent erstwhile I'm not there."
Maher won bronze astatine the Paris Olympics past summertime arsenic portion of the USA broadside and joined Bristol to power backmost to playing XVs up of the World Cup successful August.
She said her absorption present for the adjacent fewer months volition beryllium to proceed playing, with the American Eagles facing Australia and New Zealand successful May arsenic portion of the Pacific Four Series.
"We commencement with the Pac Four with USA 15s and I anticipation I've proven myself successful this abstraction to vie for a roster spot successful the USA squad and I anticipation I'll beryllium selected for that," Maher said.
"It'll beryllium a batch of continuing to larn the crippled and enactment myself successful the presumption to marque a roster for the World Cup but besides beryllium the champion subordinate I tin beryllium successful the World Cup."
Bristol caput manager Dave Ward and adjunct manager Tom Luke were instrumental successful bringing Maher to England and she said she was present a "Bear for life".
"I'm arrogant to person been portion of this team, a peculiar programme they person here," Maher said.
"The girls were truthful welcoming and made maine portion of the squad and I got to play with immoderate of England's champion players and Wales and Scottish, truthful it conscionable acceptable maine up to beryllium much palmy astatine the World Cup.
"I'll beryllium playing against them - I privation I was playing with them but it was amazing."
English (US)