Ilona Maher nearly made history in this year’s Dancing With the Stars. Entering the show after winning an Olympic bronze, few expected her to replicate the same magic on the stage. However, she proved many people wrong, finishing as the runner-up in the finals and coming agonizingly close to claiming the mirror ball trophy. Along the way, she gained numerous fans and accolades for her charismatic presence both on and off the stage.

Now, the rugby player is ready for a new chapter in her career across the pond in the UK. Ilona is all set to play at the Premiership Women’s Rugby. This is going to be the player’s first foray into 15-player rugby since 2021, as she has been widely known for her skills in the seven-player format. She has decided to play for the team Bristol Bears in the league despite having numerous other offers.

This is because the team was the first to put effort into bringing her over to the league. Other teams only entered into the fray after they realized that Bristol was working on a deal. “All of a sudden I was getting all of these calls and emails from people saying: ‘We’re hearing you might be eligible to play; you want to come for us?’ OK well, I did want to play for you; I did want to do this. I had a lot of other teams calling to come play. I think I stood by Bristol because they did this work and I wanted to stick with them,” said Ilona about the whole situation to The Guardian.

The saga began back in 2023, when Ilona Maher decided to reach out to English teams in hopes of securing a deal. Although many teams showed interest, the U.S. athlete faced a significant roadblock: she wasn’t eligible to compete in the league due to her lack of recent experience in the 15-player format. However, Bristol was the first team to contact her and assure her they were willing to put in the effort necessary to bring her into the league.

The team appealed the matter to the Rugby Football Union, which agreed to grant the player clearance to compete. With her eligibility confirmed, she was ready to take her talents to the UK. Although she received offers from other teams, she chose to remain loyal to the Bristol Bears. Now, she is set to make her league debut on January 4th against their local rivals, Gloucester-Hartpury.

Ilona Maher feels nervous ahead of Rugby comeback

As Ilona Maher spent a lot of time away from the game in the glitz of Dancing with the Stars, the player might feel a little underprepared for the new season. She admitted that this sentiment was true in an interaction with the YouTube channel of the Bristol Bears. “Really excited to be getting back into rugby now. I’m excited, but I’m also nervous. I’ve taken some time off—it’s been, I think, four months or so since I’ve gotten hit. All I’ve been doing is dancing, which is a little different than rugby, but I am excited to get back to where my roots are, how this all started, and what’s gotten me to this point,” said Ilona in the interview.

The rugby player is incredibly excited to embark on this new chapter of her career. As a rugby sevens player and an Olympic medalist, Ilona Maher is eager to make her mark in the 15-a-side game with a clear ambition in mind. She hopes to participate in next year’s Rugby World Cup, which is set to take place in England. With the USA already qualified, Ilona is determined to give herself the best chance to make the squad, believing that competing in the UK-based league is the perfect stepping stone. Hopefully, her goal becomes a reality.