ILONA MAHER hopes she can inspire and elevate more players to superstar status in women’s rugby.

Olympic sevens bronze medallist Maher announced her arrival in English rugby by helping Bristol Bears generate a club-record crowd for a women’s game of just over 9,000 at Ashton Gate.

Her eagerly anticipated debut against Premiership champions Gloucester-Hartpury attracted fans from Kentucky and Washington DC, while Maher spent more than an hour after the game signing autographs and posing for pictures.