Marketing the oval ball

By Dan Warren

Richard Hill is a World Cup winner - yet rarely gets recognised in public

It seems the English public cannot get enough rugby union at the moment.

The sport is enjoying an unprecedented mutual love-in resulting, extraordinarily, in football fighting to share the back pages of the soccer-mad tabloids.

But while the two sports battle for column inches, when it comes to marketability, there is only one winner.

Football stars advertise everything from mobile phones to viagra - rugby stars do razors and hair restorer.

And sports marketing expert Dave Williams - whose company represents Ben Cohen, Matt Dawson, Dan Luger and Joe Worsley - says England's rugby stars can expect to remain relatively anonymous.

"There's a bit of a honeymoon feeling at the moment, and I'd expect it to calm down," he told this website.

"What I hope will happen - and what the game hopes will happen - is that it calms down to a position that is more profitable than before."

The idea that money suddenly pours in the week after the world cup is a little bit naïve Dave Williams

Williams said that - unlike football stars - rugby players could not expect to earn more from off-field activities than from the game itself.

Because, a certain drop-kicking genius aside, they are generally not as recognisable as their footballing counterparts.

World Cup winner Richard Hill caught the tube to training at Saracens last week and was not recognised. That would be unlikely to happen to, say Steven Gerrard.

And, despite the sudden influx of offers to do chat shows, rugby players are seen as more grounded than footballers.

Will Greenwood turned down a World Cup-winning haircut at a top salon in favour of his usual £6 trim. That would be unlikely to happen to, say, David Beckham.

That could be because of the lower wages in rugby union, where top players can expect around £50,000 per year.

Lad's mags have used rugby players for photo shoots in the past and this should continue Steven Buchan Loaded magazine

Williams says it is important rugby aims for slow growth, rather than the massive explosion seen in football.

"It's more important for the players that clubs become more profitable, rather than they chase their own individual limelight," Williams said.

"Besides, the idea that money suddenly pours in the week after the World Cup is a little bit naïve.

"The media pour in and there is a media frenzy, but the larger companies are not just going to plough money in for the game, or for players, willy-nilly."

The key for rugby union, Williams says, is in keeping hold of its new fan base - and that is one area in which the sport can expect succes.

"If you compare rugby with the GB rowing team's success in the 2000 Olympics, or the hockey success in the 1988 Olympics, there is a similar upsurge in interest," he said.

"But hockey and rowing had nowhere to channel these new interests.

"Rugby union has, with the Zurich Premiership, the Heineken Cup and the Six Nations.

"There is something there for people to latch on to."

Whether or not this translates into big money and global recognisation for all England rugby heroes remains to be seen.

Steven Buchan, who works in the fashion department of men's magazine Loaded, believes there will be "quite a few" opportunities ahead.

"Lad's mags have used rugby players for photo shoots in the past and this should continue," he said.

"But the product would need to be connected to rugby."

"They are unlikely to become the next male model for a major fashion house."

On that basis, perhaps Steve Thompson, Trevor Woodman and company should not give up their day job just yet.