Marler should be the new face of rugby on television
The game must make the most of the surge in popularity after Japan, writes
Less than 12 hours after England’s defeat in the World Cup final, Eddie Jones’s men were paid a special tribute on The X-factor: Celebrity by rugby boy/man band Try Star, who belted out Swing Low Sweet Chariot.
It was clear from the assembled choir that the show’s producers had been expecting, or hoping for, a win as exengland and Northampton full-back Ben Foden was joined by Bath up-and-comer Levi Davis.
Former Scotland back Thom Evans did not look embarrassed by warbling for the auld enemy, possibly because he knew he was engaging in showbusiness rather
than the Calcutta Cup. And that is the point of the world Try Star inhabit – it does not matter who plays for whom. What does matter is that an audience, who do not know ruck from maul, got fed rugby in their pop culture diet on a Saturday night.
Football saturates popular culture, with even those who rarely watch knowing Gary Lineker as the “crisp man” and David Beckham as “style icon”, while Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff has been able to transcend cricket through his work on
A League of Their
Own and Top Gear.
If rugby is to take advantage of the class of 2019’s run to the final in terms of taking the game beyond the traditional heartlands, an England rugby figure in the wider imagination is needed just as much as the extra balls the Rugby Football Union has dropped to grassroots clubs.
Is there anyone in the game who can occupy the dual role of England legend and pop culture icon? That is where sadly Try Star may not cut it, not enough success on the international stage as players.
There is no doubt that Jonny Wilkinson is a national treasure but he has always come with the tag of 2003 drop goal hero. In New Zealand, for some Richie Mccaw is just as famous for his “so bad it’s good” acting in advertisements as he is for twice lifting the Webb Ellis Cup as All Blacks captain.
For a brief moment in the 1990s, rugby in England had a figure that got the non-traditionalists talking: Will Carling – thanks to gossip regarding his relationship with the late Diana, Princess of Wales.
So why can’t rugby produce a Flintoff-type character, especially as cricket has had similar issues in terms of having a smaller and “more traditional” fan base in England?
One thing that is likeable about England captain Owen Farrell is his lack of engagement with the celebrity world, but others might differ.
Last week, rugby agents’ phones were hopping with branding and media types in search of players to “cross over” and one name came up repeatedly: Joe Marler.
He, like Flintoff, has been open about his inner demons, making him relatable. Then there is the prop’s mohawk and beard look combined with his ability to give that raised eyebrow smirk to the camera.
For the sake of growing rugby and future revenues, maybe Harlequins could be persuaded to allow him to have his post-world Cup recovery in the I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here jungle as rugby’s next pop culture icon.