rugby world cup. is it.

One of the more depressing aspects of the rugby world cup (apart from the sheer predictability of almost every result and the fact that only about 9 nations play the game seriously) is the horrendous use of "rugby is just like business" metaphors from virtually every faceless corporate business / banking brand out there. You know the sort of thing I mean. An image of a scrum or a line out with actors caped in mud and headlines saying things like "success comes from a winning strategy" and "by working together we find the path to success" I'm making these up now but "teamwork and dedication create winning solutions" that sort of thing. Always executed in broadsheet sports sections, the economist or slightly vulgar massive signs at eurostar or airports. I know that rugby has a desirable audience for a lot of brands but I have to say that some of the stuff popping up around this tournament is very wobbly. Swap one companies logo or indeed comms strategy for anothers and I don't think anyone would notice. It's just all so predictable and a bit dull. Not unlike the tournament itself then...