Olympian and Dancing with the Stars contestant Ilona Maher moved to England to join the Bristol Bears but her home debut ended with an injury.

U.S. rugby star Ilona Maher has celebrated her first start for the Bristol Bears by powering over for a try in a 41-31 victory at the Exeter Chiefs.

And that time came with a bang for Olympian Ilona Maher, who suffered from what she described as “a lil knock” in her Jan. 18 game against the Leicester Tigers. 🤩 📺 SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter & get the scoop on the latest TV news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🤩 🎥 Maher,

Ilona Maher’s impact on women’s rugby in England had been significant even before she had stepped on a rugby pitch in the country. On Sunday came the American’s time to make a telling contribution on the field of play as she scored a sensational 70-yard try in her first start for her new team.

Ilona Maher marked her first Premiership Women’s Rugby start with a try as Bristol boosted their hopes of reaching the play-offs with a gutsy win over regional rivals Exeter Chiefs.

U.S. rugby star Ilona Maher has made her debut for the Bristol Bears women’s team in front of a record home crowd of 9,240.

Ilona Maher is making her impact across the pond! The Olympic rugby bronze medalist made her debut on the pitch in England on Sunday, Jan. 5 — and it resulted in the Bristol Bears having to change stadiums to accommodate her fans.

U.S. rugby star Ilona Maher is set to make her first start for the Bristol Bears on January 12 at the Exeter Chiefs.