Ilona Maher has signed a short-term contract with Bristol Bears.
This news is no sort of shock, but it introduces all manner of reactions. Here’s a conversation I overheard on a Bristol bus:
Q. Why does the PWR allow players to join clubs that don’t need strengthening? Bears are the best, the strongest club in the world.
A. Because any step to prevent it would be illegal.
Q, How does it help our Bears?
A. They say ‘it will put bums on seats’.
Q. But Shaftesbury Park is a small ground. Will the club play more often at Ashton Gate? It’s much bigger.
A. Ah, errm. I doubt that will be possible; it has such a crowded schedule.
Q. How good a player is Maher?
A. She took a bronze medal for the USA at the Paris Olympics, and was runner-up in a Strictly-type dancing competition on US telly. World Rugby says she’s “Rugby’s biggest star”.
Q: Wow! So she won the top prize at Monte Carlo last week?
A. Yes and no. She wasn’t Best 7s Player, but she made the Dream Team.
Q. Has she played much Fifteens?
A. In her college days, yes. Since then she has won two XVs caps for the Eagles.
Q. Will she walk straight into the 1st XV?
A. I doubt it. Dave Ward has a heap of thinking and planning to do. He can’t afford to give her game-time just to please her Insta and TikTok fans, at the risk of missing out on a point or two.
Q. Is she getting straight down to training?
A. Yes, but she’ll be going home before she comes back in January.
Q. What?!
A. You heard me.
Q. What position will she play?
A. Take your pick. You know, Bears have top players spare in every match. Her likely positions are centre, wing or flanker. Just think of the competition she’ll face: Jaz Joyce-Butchers, Millie David, Reneeka Bonner, Courtney Keight, Phoebe Murray, Emma Orr, Amber Reed, Meryl Smith, Alisha Joyce-Butchers, Evie Gallagher, Gabriella Nigrelli, Jenny Herring, Jenny Hesketh and a few dozen more.
Q. So somebody will have to make way for her?
A. Of course.
Q. Who and what is the PWR there for?
A. You shouldn’t really ask questions like that! Sara Orchard of the BBC quotes Genevieve Shore, Chair of the PWR: “we want the best athletes in the world playing in the PWR”. But at the same time the PWR is supposed to favour the Red Roses, not the USA or any other team.
Q. So why has Maher made this move?
A. To help her chances of convincing Sione Fukofuka that she’s worth a place in the Eagles squad to play in the World Cup.
Q. Oh, so it’s a bit selfish?
A. You said it. I didn’t.
I got off the bus.
