Men's rugby union needs more 'personality' - Maher

American rugby union star Ilona Maher says the men's game needs more "personality" to promote the sport.

The 28-year-old, who is the most-followed rugby player in the world on social media, joined Premiership Women's Rugby side Bristol Bears in December.

Made famous by her viral videos and appearance on Dancing with the Stars - the USA's high-profile version of Strictly Come Dancing - the Olympic sevens bronze medallist has become a worldwide sensation.

But she feels the sport she loves is not generating the amount of interest that it could do.

"We're a very stoic sport in a way," Maher said.

"We go on the field, we do our job, and that's how it's been. What's important is how you play on the field, that's the biggest thing in both [men's and women's rugby].

"They're under constant criticism by people, so their job is on the field, that's what they get paid for, to have a good performance there.

"For women, our contracts are to play on the field, but that's a tiny contract that isn't going to [provide] a comfortable living, so that's where we have to do more off the field."

Maher's comments echo sentiments made by Newcastle boss Steve Diamond late last year that the sport was "crying out for superstars".

Rugby union in England has been hit hard financially since the Covid-19 pandemic.

A host of top players, such as former England captain Owen Farrell, have left to chase the riches on offer in France.

Arguably there is no current England player - male or female - that has the same fame as Jonny Wilkinson, Will Carling or Martin Johnson did 20 or 30 years ago, and certainly no current male player who has the reach online of Maher.

"I would love to see more personality from the men's game," she added.

"You see it a little bit with your Joe Marlers - but even then I can think only really think of Joe and a few others who have that fun personality to them.

"I just wish we could show that more, but I think that's where the women's game, we have to break away a little bit and show that it's OK to show your personality outside of the field."

Meanwhile, the sport in England is in crisis off the field as clubs call for the resignation of Rugby Football Union chief executive Bill Sweeney over his pay and bonuses totalling more than £1m after the governing body posted record losses of £37.9m and four professional sides went bust.

"I think there's a culture in rugby that we have to shift a little bit because it is an amazing sport, but it is an old sport and it's been happening for years," added Maher, who has played twice for Bristol and scored her first try in England against Exeter on Sunday.

"How do we get young people in the game? The young people are online, young people are connecting through the apps, through the videos they see.

"I think we have to shift our mindset if we want this sport to evolve."

More than 9,000 fans packed into Ashton Gate for Maher's debut following the start of her three-month deal at Bristol earlier this month.

On Sunday, Exeter attracted their largest crowd of the season for a women's game - 3,253 - as Maher scored in a 41-31 win at Sandy Park.

Maher says it is important the sport builds on the extra crowds she is able to draw, so it can keep new fans coming back week after week.

"Can they take what I've done and create something bigger with it? Because having just one person doing something is great, but it needs to be sustainable," she said.

"There might be a little bit of a lull in it, but again we have to keep working, because that's how sport ebbs and flows as well.

"I do think it's on us as players that if we want this to grow and we want to get more money, we have to do more. We don't have that fanbase that's set there, like the men have a set fanbase.

"They have men and women who pay for their season tickets, they come to every game, they've been coming to every game for 20 or 30 years, and that's amazing.

"Women's rugby, we have to tap into some new fans and that's going to take some time, but I'm not as worried because I think I've set a good base.

"I might be the superstar now, but I know that when we're training there's five superstars that could come up."