Maher's impact 'phenomenal' on PWR ahead of semis
Premiership Women's Rugby semi-final: Gloucester-Hartpury v Bristol BearsDate: Sunday, 2 March Kick-off: 15:00 GMT Venue: QueensholmCoverage: Watch on the Red Button, BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website
In the 16 years captain Amber Reed has been with Bristol Bears she has never seen furore around the club like there has been since American superstar Ilona Maher joined in January.Maher starts on the wing again when the Bears walk out this Sunday for the Premiership Women's Rugby (PWR) semi-final against Gloucester-Hartpury, with a place in this season's final up for grabs.Whatever the result, the Bears and the wider rugby community hope the 'Maher effect' will continue to ripple through the sport long after the final whistle."The noise, the level of excitement, the social media buzz that's been around this group this season has been the best it ever has been, the best I've ever known," Reed said. "The impact that she's had on the game as a whole is pretty phenomenal. "Our ticket sales have dramatically increased from where they were last season and it would be pretty remiss of me to not give her credit for that and what she's done to the game. But I think the most impressive thing for me is she's managed all that [and] she's just a class team-mate."
Maher is the most followed rugby union player in the world on social media, with more than 8m followers on Instagram and TikTok. Since claiming Olympic bronze at the Paris Games last summer, her profile skyrocketed further after appearing on Dancing with the Stars and the cover of Sports Illustrated. Demand was so high for tickets for the 28-year-old's first game for Bristol on 5 January - coincidentally also against Gloucester-Hartpury - that the club moved the game to Ashton Gate, where 9,240 fans set a new league attendance record.Records have continued to fall. Harlequins and Trailfinders have also seen record attendances since Maher's arrival. The PWR has seen a 68.5% increase in its social media followers, its YouTube subscribers have doubled and 11m accounts have been reached across its Instagram and TikTok pages."From a commercial point of view there's no doubt she's brought her superstar reach and power and influence with her, and she's not just brought it to Bristol or to PWR, I think she's brought it to the whole game," said Genevieve Shore, executive chair of the PWR. "It's great to see her appearing on The One Show, or appearing on the podcasts, in the press, the rugby media want to write about her and that lifts the whole women's game and men's game."Maher built a superstar-size online profile branded on empowering women and body positivity, and it is a message Bristol head coach Dave Ward believes she has spread to others in the team. "I think it's brought a real good energy to the group, they're excited - she's loud and proud and I think again it just brings other people's personalities out and they can see if she's not afraid to be herself, then they don't have to be afraid to be themselves," Ward said."I think the more that people get to know the girls and the amazing women we've got in the programme the better it's going to be for the sport."Maher's following has brought new fans to the league that will hopefully stay beyond the games she plays in. "Hopefully the fans that have joined because of her [Maher] love what we do and they come back next year and we keep inspiring the next generation through our actions," Reed said.
'We're massive outsiders' - Ward
Maher will be partnered by Wales' Jasmine Joyce-Butchers on the wing, who returns to the starting XV in the only change for Bristol for the play-off match. Gloucester-Hartpury meanwhile have welcomed back England prop Maud Muir to their front line for her first appearance since January due to injury, in one of four changes to the side from their win at Harlequins last week. El Perry comes in alongside Muir at loose-head, while England centre Tatyana Heard returns in the centre and Rachel Lund comes onto the wing. Gloucester-Hartpury are two-time league champions chasing a record third consecutive title - they have lost only six times in the 54 games over the past three campaigns. But Bristol have the knowledge that they were the last team to beat them, in a 19-14 victory in November - also at Kingsholm (rebranded to Queensholm for the semi-final)."Everyone is writing us off for this weekend, we're massive outsiders, Gloucester are heavy favourites," head coach Ward said. "It is a bit of a 'nothing to lose' mentality but for us it does mean a bit more than that. We know we're a team capable of rattling Gloucester and we hope to do that."The fact Bristol are the underdogs Ward believes is in their favour."I'm happy to talk up Gloucester until the cows come home," Ward said."We understand where they are. For us it's a huge task, but certainly not a task we're afraid of."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Guardian
an hour ago
- South Wales Guardian
Tulisa to recount drugs trial in new memoir detailing her career highs and lows
The pop singer, 36, who found fame in hip-hop trio N-Dubz, was arrested on suspicion of supplying class A drugs in 2013, but the charges were later dismissed after prosecution witness, 'fake sheikh' journalist Mazher Mahmood, was found guilty of tampering with evidence in the trial. The book, titled Judgement, has been written using journals that Contostavlos wrote in amid the media storm following the sting operation that saw Mahmood pose as a wealthy film producer called Samir Khan. In an Instagram video on Tuesday, Contostavlos said: '90% of this no one has ever known. A post shared by Tulisa Contostavlos (@tulisacontostavlos) 'The story of my year in 2013 has been spoken about many times, but it has never been told in the way that it's told in my new book. 'This is living all the juiciest moments from behind the scenes. This book will have you crying one moment, on the edge of your seat the next.' She added: 'I have given absolutely all of myself in this book, it's Sex And The City on a drugs charge.' She wrote in the caption: 'As you all know, I've been through the highs and some unimaginable lows in my career. 'For the first time, I'm sharing everything. The truth, the pain, the fallout, and the strength I discovered when my world fell apart.' The singer had been accused of arranging for Mahmood to be sold more than £800 worth of cocaine by one of her contacts following an elaborate sting for The Sun On Sunday in 2013. During a meeting at a hotel in London, Mahmood posed as a film producer and plied Contostavlos with alcohol as they discussed an acting role alongside Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio. Following the collapse of the trial Contostavlos said 'I have never dealt drugs and never been involved in taking or dealing cocaine' in a statement where she also accused Mahmood of a 'horrific and disgusting entrapment'. In 2016 Mahmood was jailed for tampering with evidence in the collapsed drugs trial when the 'King of the Sting' and his driver Alan Smith, were found guilty of plotting to pervert the course of justice. Publishing director, Ciara Lloyd, who has acquired UK and Commonwealth rights to the book, said: 'When I read Tulisa's proposal, I knew instantly that I wanted to publish her. 'I remember the infamous 'Fake Sheikh' trial well and how unfairly Tulisa was treated, a story that highlighted the bias and misogyny in the press, and in our society. 'So, to give a voice to Tulisa and her story as well as showcase her phenomenal talent as a writer is a real privilege. 'This is the perfect redemption story for the original Female Boss, and I'm so proud to be publishing her at Blink.' Contostavlos is most known for singing in hip-hop group N-Dubz who had hits with songs including I Need You, Girls and Number 1, featuring Tinchy Stryder. In 2011 she became a judge on popular reality singing series The X Factor and a year later she released her debut solo album, The Female Boss. She also released the book, Honest: My Story So Far: The Official Autobiography, in 2012, which detailed her life growing up on a council estate in London, to making music with N-Dubz, and helping girl group Little Mix win The X Factor in 2011. The singer from Camden most recently appeared on the 2024 season of I'm A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!. Judgement will publish in hardback, ebook and audio in August 2025 from Blink Publishing.
Rhyl Journal
2 hours ago
- Rhyl Journal
Aryna Sabalenka: TikTok dance was key to thawing relationship with Iga Swiatek
World number one Sabalenka and four-time champion Iga Swiatek will meet in a blockbuster French Open semi-final on Thursday. It will be the first time the duo, who have been jousting at the top of the rankings for the past three years, have played each other at a grand slam since the 2022 US Open. They barely used to speak until an impromptu bonding session at last year's WTA Finals in Riyadh. 'Before it wasn't any communication, any practices with her, but now we are getting better,' said 27-year-old Sabalenka. 'We get along better and we practice more often and we know each other quite well. 'I think everything started when I just came to her and asked to do a TikTok in Riyadh. We just did, like, a little dance together. 'Since that, we were like 'OK, maybe we can communicate, we can be good to each other, we can practice sometimes'. 'So I think that was the first step to a better relationship.' The blossoming friendship will be put on hold when Belarusian Sabalenka continues her bid for a first Roland Garros title against the player who has won her last 26 matches at the French Open. Sabalenka has reached the semi-finals in nine of the last 10 grand slams she has competed at after battling past Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng 7-6 (3) 6-3. It was a shame that the match between two top WTA stars began at 11am, meaning there were hundreds of empty seats around the vast Court Philippe-Chatrier. Semis: this way 👉👉#RolandGarros — Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 3, 2025 The scheduling of women's matches has been a hot topic again this fortnight, and Sabalenka said: 'I agree it was a big match and probably would make more sense to put us a little bit later just so more people could watch it.' Swiatek's patchy form since winning the title last year has seen her slip to number five in the rankings, but the 24-year-old from Poland remains the player to beat in Paris after a 6-1 7-5 quarter-final victory over Ukrainian 13th seed Elina Svitolina. The second semi-final will be decided on Wednesday with Coco Gauff taking on fellow American Madison Keys and Russian sixth seed Mirra Andreeva facing the French Open surprise package, world number 361 Lois Boisson.
North Wales Chronicle
2 hours ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Aryna Sabalenka: TikTok dance was key to thawing relationship with Iga Swiatek
World number one Sabalenka and four-time champion Iga Swiatek will meet in a blockbuster French Open semi-final on Thursday. It will be the first time the duo, who have been jousting at the top of the rankings for the past three years, have played each other at a grand slam since the 2022 US Open. They barely used to speak until an impromptu bonding session at last year's WTA Finals in Riyadh. 'Before it wasn't any communication, any practices with her, but now we are getting better,' said 27-year-old Sabalenka. 'We get along better and we practice more often and we know each other quite well. 'I think everything started when I just came to her and asked to do a TikTok in Riyadh. We just did, like, a little dance together. 'Since that, we were like 'OK, maybe we can communicate, we can be good to each other, we can practice sometimes'. 'So I think that was the first step to a better relationship.' The blossoming friendship will be put on hold when Belarusian Sabalenka continues her bid for a first Roland Garros title against the player who has won her last 26 matches at the French Open. Sabalenka has reached the semi-finals in nine of the last 10 grand slams she has competed at after battling past Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng 7-6 (3) 6-3. It was a shame that the match between two top WTA stars began at 11am, meaning there were hundreds of empty seats around the vast Court Philippe-Chatrier. Semis: this way 👉👉#RolandGarros — Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 3, 2025 The scheduling of women's matches has been a hot topic again this fortnight, and Sabalenka said: 'I agree it was a big match and probably would make more sense to put us a little bit later just so more people could watch it.' Swiatek's patchy form since winning the title last year has seen her slip to number five in the rankings, but the 24-year-old from Poland remains the player to beat in Paris after a 6-1 7-5 quarter-final victory over Ukrainian 13th seed Elina Svitolina. The second semi-final will be decided on Wednesday with Coco Gauff taking on fellow American Madison Keys and Russian sixth seed Mirra Andreeva facing the French Open surprise package, world number 361 Lois Boisson.
