Bristol Coach Ward Emphasizes Readiness for New Signing Ilona Maher

Dave Ward, head coach for Bristol Bears, has stated that the club must ensure new signing Ilona Maher is fully prepared before integrating her into the squad. Maher previously scored three tries for the USA’s sevens team at the Paris Olympics. It was announced on Monday that US sevens star Maher will be joining the Bears from January for the remainder of the Premiership Women’s Rugby season. Ward, a former Harlequins hooker, revealed in a press conference on Tuesday that Maher’s reintroduction into XVs rugby, after playing sevens for the past three years, will be the priority before she plays any matches. Speaking to BBC Radio Bristol, Ward stated, “We’re not going to be stupid about it, we’ve got to make sure she’s ready.” He further elaborated, “She hasn’t played rugby in four months. She’ll do a tiny bit of contact this week but again, real technical stuff just to get her back into the swing of things and then it will start the process in January.” Ward suggested that the Gloucester game “might be one or two weeks too early if I’m being honest.” He added, “We’re going to do everything we can but her tackling her dad in Vermont is not going to be quite the same as tackling in a full time rugby environment.” Maher’s arrival is considered a significant acquisition for the Bears. The 28-year-old, who secured a bronze medal with the USA at this summer’s Paris Olympics, is recognized as the most followed rugby player globally. The Vermont native has 4.5 million followers on Instagram and 3.2 million on TikTok, which Ward believes will help showcase his team and the entire league to a broader audience. Ward further commented, “I think everybody agrees the RFU, the PWR have supported her visa applications and rightly so, it’s for the good of the game,” He continued, “You walk into the building and it’s to inspire the community for rugby’s success. If this is getting eyes on the girls what they’re doing, and I get to see it day in day out, I want more people to see it, I want more people in Bristol to see it and I want more people around the world to see it.” Ward concluded, “If it does get more eyeballs on it, then all the better for me.” Should Maher not be prepared for the Gloucester-Hartpury game, her Premiership debut might occur on 12 January when the Bears visit Exeter. Bristol currently holds fourth place in the PWR with 25 points and is scheduled to compete against league leaders Exeter Chiefs on Saturday.