…its ruckers are alluring…

George Pitcher’s comments regarding the surge in rugby’s popularity were interesting, but ill-informed. While he rightly states that rugby will not overtake soccer as our nation’s favourite game, his claim that rugby is “boring” and played only by “dimly lit warriors” fails to acknowledge the potential that this sport offers our industry.

The 31 England players who visited Australia are a colourful, varied and media-friendly bunch. Ranging from giants – in both senses of the word – such as Johnson and Leonard, to the elegance of Greenwood or Wilkinson, the squad offers advertisers and sponsors real pulling power. Personalities such as Dawson and Dallaglio are already being signed up. For Pitcher to declare that Carling and Guscott “never won much” suggests that his knowledge of rugby is on a par with David Campese’s humility.

While the hype around rugby may die down in the New Year, recent weeks have provided advertisers and marketers with a pool of new sporting celebrities, whose brand compatibility spans many sectors and who are thus able to endorse a broad range of products.

And on a personal note – regarding Pitcher’s opinion that the game is boring – I must argue that in comparison with the Premiership soccer I have seen, rugby wins hands down.

Tony Stratton,

Chairman

CPM International

Thame

Oxon