Social media sensation Ilona Maher celebrated her first start for Bristol by scoring a spectacular try to inspire a 41-31 win against Exeter on Sunday.

The American back, who won Olympic bronze at the 2024 Paris Games, has more than 8 million followers across Instagram and TikTok, making her the world's most followed rugby player

The United States sevens ace lived up to the hype as she ran over half the pitch and evaded two tackles in a 55th-minute try that showcased her pace and power.

The 28-year-old, who has signed a three-month contract with Bristol, also underlined her ability as a creator.

She stepped off her wing to suck in three defenders before releasing Meg Varley to score the bonus-point try that kept Bristol in contention for the Premiership Women's Rugby playoffs.

"It felt like sevens a little bit," Maher said. "My teammates did the work to put me through, and I had to get through a couple of defenders. I thought 'oh, this is sevens!'"

"I don't go around people, that's never been my thing — ever! I don't go around them, always go through. It's really not natural for me."

Maher made her debut off the bench for Bristol against defending champion Gloucester-Hartpury last weekend in a game that produced a club-record crowd of 9,240 for a women's game.

Maher is aiming to gain selection for the U.S. squad for the Women's Rugby World Cup, which takes place in England later this year.

Her arrival at Bristol has boosted replica shirt sales, while the club's Instagram following has soared from 21,000 to 67,000.