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Scrummy! New novels put the romance into rugby

LONDON (AP) — Romance and rugby — strange bedfellows or perfect match?

Publisher Mills & Boon is betting that nothing goes with champagne and diamonds like the bone-crunching, mud-churning wallop of a rugby match. The romance imprint has teamed up with rugby’s British governing body for a series of novels in which gorgeous women fall for athletic alpha males adept at making passes.

There’s even sex at Twickenham, the home of English rugby.

“It’s good, clean fun,” said Jenny Hutton, editor of the eight-book series, which was launched Tuesday. “Women go to sport and watch it for the technical qualities of the game — but there’s no denying there are quite attractive men running around on the pitch.”

The deal offers something for both sides. The publisher gets a ready-made milieu of sweat-soaked men and glamorous settings, from Italy and France to Argentina.

For Rugby Football Union marketing manager Jane Barron, the books — emblazoned with the red rose symbol of the England rugby team over images of clinching couples — are “a fantastic way to encourage more women and their families to get involved with the game.”

Publishing and professional sports have dallied before. In 2005, Mills & Boon’s parent company Harlequin Enterprises launched a NASCAR auto-racing themed series of romances with titles like “In the Groove” and “Peak Performance.” Its success inspired the rugby series, which will be published around the world. Read rest at AP Wire