The iconic rematch that led to a tearful goodbye was what occurred March 2, 2025 at Queensholm Stadium. The Bristol Bears faced off against Gloucester-Hartpury in the semifinals of the Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR). PWR is the annual semi-professional women’s rugby union club competition, which is the highest level of English rugby’s union system all the while being ran by the Rugby Football Union. Bristol and Gloucester had competed against one another back in January, and Gloucester had won with a whopping 23 points over Bristol. 

However it wasn’t enough as Bristol fell short with only 4 tries racking up only 20 points overall compared to Gloucester’s 5 tries, 4 conversions, and the final penalty kick landing Hartpury with a total of 36pts. Starting off strong in the first half, Bristol’s Lark Atkin-Davies crossed from the back of a driving maul within the first 15 minutes after getting the penalty from Gloucester. Then ten minutes later Atkin-Davies ploughs through again securing the second try of the first half of the match. 

Not more than three minutes later El Perry crossed scoring Gloucester’s first try of the match. Moments later Sarah Beckett crosses and Emma Sing picks up the conversion kick making GH up by 2. Feeling the pressure the bears received a yellow card when their Evie Gallagher for a high tackle, allowing for Sing to land the third try and conversion, thus, GH takes the lead by 9, marking the end of the first half. 

5 minutes out the gate after winning their penalty and the Bristol Bears hurling themselves back in the match with Illona Maher securing the third try of the match. After winning another penalty resulting in a turnover but it was for naught as Gloucester’s Zoe Aldcroft sweeps under relating in Hartpury’s 4th try and Sing’s 3rd conversion leaving the Bears eleven points behind. Finally the bears responded with their fourth and final try of the season by Millie David as she plunges across.

Hannah Jones and Sing of GH cleaned up the score and widened the gap once and for all with Jones scoring the final try and Sing adding on, not only the final conversion but the final penalty of the game. Thus the victory once again to the Gloucester-Hartpury sending them to contend with Saracens Women in the Finals. Congratulations to Perry, Beckett, Aldercroft, Jones, the conversion queen Sing, and all of Gloucester-Hartpury’s team.

With the end of the season for Bristol also comes the end of the Bear’s time with their renowned, American player, Illona Maher. Maher, after winning the bronze in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, made a name for herself in the social media realm, advocating for positive body-images while redefining the definition of the feminine physique. She reintroduced the world to the sport known as Rugby and in being signed by the Bristol Bears in England the Wing brought along her 8.4 million followers boosting the followership of rugby particularly the womens by over 68%. Maher’s first game spiked physical stadium attedance, essentially breaking the previous record with over 9,000 of her fans. With Maher’s departure from the Bears she reflects on the way that she has loved being part of the team while imploring the importance of fan support in Rugby.