Premiership Women’s Rugby has never seen a debut like Ilona Maher’s for Bristol Bears. The club more than doubled their record attendance with the 9,240 supporters also breaking the crowd record for a standalone PWR regular-season match. Maher’s presence was the cause of the influx of fans with the fixture against Gloucester-Hartpury moved to Ashton Gate from Shaftesbury Park after the USA international’s signing was announced in December.

Such is the Maher effect that the game was broadcast across the world, including the US and New Zealand. Supporters had to wait to see the 28-year-old in action as she started from the bench but she entered the fray in the 61st minute to a deafening roar. She made a great hit on Rachel Lund as her first action on the pitch but Maher, who was playing 15s rugby for the first time since 2021, did not receive a pass. It was also not the result she or Bristol would have wanted as Gloucester upset the party with a bonus-point win over their rivals.

After spending more than an hour signing autographs post-match, Maher said: “It is interesting, it is very different from sevens. Sevens is a very quick little battle. Sevens is a battle and 15s is a war, it carries on in so many moments. The ball goes this way, we end the half up and then it shifts the other way. I think it was tough out there.

“I was just trying to watch and understand; OK Ren [Reneeqa Bonner], Millie [David] are doing this, what do I need to do when I get in? I think each game I am going to learn more and more. You do learn a lot by losing but also it puts a fire under you for the next game.”

Pre-match the ground was abuzz with Maher fever and two hours before kick-off fans were already starting to arrive. Overheard conversations were all about the club’s star signing and among the record crowd were a group of players from Macclesfield RUFC, who drove over 120 miles for Maher.

A number of supporters were attending their first rugby game, including fan Tally Bevis. Originally from Nashville, Tennessee, but studying a graduate degree at University College London, Bevis travelled to Bristol just to see Maher and has been following the player since the buildup to the Paris Olympics.

Bevis, who was wearing a new Maher Bristol shirt, said: “I knew this would be potentially the first game she could play [but] I really didn’t mind if she played or not, I just knew she would be here and I wanted to support the team she had joined. She is so viral, cool, real and funny online that it felt natural for me to jump on a train, order a jersey and get to the game.

“I am so excited to see a new sport. I love the fact that an American woman is coming to the UK to hone her craft, to get better and try and achieve even more. Some people would stop as an Olympic medallist, it sounds like a peak for most people, but she hasn’t stopped and it is so encouraging. It is so exciting she is here, I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

When she first emerged for a warm-up, Maher ran across the pitch and a ripple of cheers flowed around Ashton Gate. It was also no surprise that when the teams were announced, the biggest cheer came for the US player. Fireworks welcomed the teams to the pitch before Maher took her seat on the bench.

Similar to their game against Exeter Chiefs last time out, Gloucester absorbed a lot of pressure in the early stages but were the first to score. A fine weaving run saw in-form full-back Emma Sing over. Bristol responded perfectly as David, the league’s top try scorer, hit back with her 12th try of the season.

Gloucester’s Lleucu George was shown a yellow card next and Bristol took full advantage of being a player up. A superb dummy pass and footwork from Alisha Joyce-Butchers saw her score to give the side a 10-7 lead at the break.

What started out as a wet and windy day turned calm and sunny for the second half but the icy edge to the local derby did not thaw. Gloucester’s co-captain Mo Hunt sniped to score to sway momentum in their direction with Maud Muir and replacements Lund, Mia Venner and Georgia Brock all dotting down.

Bristol replied with a consolation try from Sarah Bern. Gloucester move to second in the table with the victory and the defeat adds pressure to fifth-placed Bristol, with the battle for top-four places going down to the wire with six regular-season rounds left to go.