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2017年GFI香港足球會10人橄欖球賽在香港交易所舉行啟動儀式。

這項賽事在這個國際金融中心已經舉辦到第32屆。

本屆賽事最年輕的球員--18歲的潘友謙來自香港本地，這項運動在他的記憶中，仍然是多數由外國人參加。

英式橄欖球能令本地人更多參與嗎？英格蘭前球星盧塞以及香港蘇格蘭人隊球員張浩甯亦向BBC中文談到了自己的看法。

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為什麼要在香港打英式橄欖球？

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2017年GFI香港足球會10人橄欖球賽在香港交易所舉行啟動儀式。 這項賽事在這個國際金融中心已經舉辦到第32屆。 本屆賽事最年輕的球員--18歲的潘友謙來自香港本地，這項運動在他的記憶中，仍然是多數由外國人參加。 英式橄欖球能令本地人更多參與嗎？英格蘭前球星盧塞以及香港蘇格蘭人隊球員張浩甯亦向BBC中文談到了自己的看法。

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China's $100M rugby revolution gathers pace

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China's $100M rugby revolution gathers pace

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"The numbers in China are obviously mind-boggling," World Rugby CEO Brett Gosper tells CNN. "As a nation, it's the No. 1 target not just for sport but all businesses.

"We have a fixed objective of one million players in 10 years, but that's being readjusted by the federation to five years I believe. That's a pretty meteoric rise."

A year ago, it had 76,000 rugby players. In 2016, another 60,000 Chinese were introduced to the oval-ball sport, and officials there hope for as many as a million players in five years.

The country's politicians and sporting powers are keen on a quick step to rugby hegemony. A $100 million deal to market rugby in China was signed in October, and the effects of the long-term project are already beginning to be felt.

"Nowadays, a lot more people in China recognize the beauty of rugby," Cui Weihong, secretary-general of the China Rugby Football, told CNN.

"That's why we're continuously trying to push for the progressive development of rugby in China."

As its population approaches 1.5 billion -- roughly 20% of the world's total -- it is understandable that World Rugby is leaping at the chance for the game to conquer the territory. But is it really possible to achieve such a gargantuan rise in playing numbers in such a short space of time?

The $100M, 10-year plan

While playing numbers alone are not enough to ensure China becomes a global force in the game, there are notably other initiatives -- primarily the $100 million agreed investment in the game over the next 10 years by Alisports, the sports arm of e-commerce giant Alibaba.

The most recent success of the project included live-streaming of tournaments to increase the sport's fan base.

"We're very happy, because this is the first time we've used a platform to live-broadcast a national rugby tournament," Daniel Tao, Sports Events Operation Director of Alisport, told CNN.

"We can see thousands of people, they can watch the games through their mobile phones, tablets, or at home.

"This is a brand new sport to the Chinese. I remember only 20 years ago, rugby came down to China. It's not like other sports like tennis and football. Rugby is a new game for the Chinese; we try our best to do our job, to encourage more people to participate in the sport."

The investment also includes a "Get Into Rugby" initiative being set up at 10,000 universities and in schools across 20 of the country's 23 provinces.

There is an ambitious plan to train up 30,000 coaches and 15,000 match officials in the next four years, and a push to structure a XVs competition plus a professional sevens league.

Gene Tong, the regional training manager for Asia Rugby, has been in China since 2014.

He believes the sport is on the precipice of a big breakthrough in the next three years, with the 2019 Rugby World Cup and 2020 Olympics sevens tournaments to be hosted by neighbor Japan.

"It could possibly be the golden era for rugby in China, as more schools and universities are taking up the game across the whole of China and World Rugby's programs are gaining popularity and being well accepted in China," Tong told CNN.

"Rugby in China has great potential for growth and is set to see unprecedented growth over the new few years."

Tong acknowledges that basketball and football are much more popular in China, but points to sevens "gaining new fans" in particular.

Can China follow Japan's lead?

Sevens' rise has had a strong effect on rugby's global growth, and the longstanding Hong Kong sevens tournament -- one of the most iconic events in the rugby calendar -- regularly attracts 120,000 fans across its three days.

But Gosper -- himself a former player in both formats of the sport -- is planning a "dual attack" in China.

"The foundation of this great game is in XVs but sevens is obviously now an Olympic sport, which gives it huge credibility in China," he adds.

China's rugby revolution is akin -- albeit a more muted version -- to Chinese President Xi Jinping's quest to turn the country into a footballing superpower.

Rugby's resurgence also has presidential backing, but it pales into sporting insignificance in comparison to football.

One football academy alone, that of Guangzhou Evergrande, has been set up with a budget of $185 million.

The end game is for China to be a superpower in XVs, a gold medal contender in sevens at the Olympics and a World Cup host -- although all three ultimate ambitions are understandably some way off.

"But who would have thought Japan would be World Cup hosts a few years ago?" Gosper adds.

"It's Japan next, you've got the bidders for 2023, then there's potential in the US, Argentina's putting its hands up. And I'm sure the long-term ambition is that for China.

"They're willing to play the long game but they have to prove their credentials to the World Rugby Council. They'll need to fill between 1.8 and two million tickets, and to be a credible host. That doesn't happen overnight."

Sevens shortcut?

China is one of rugby's minnows. In XVs, it is ranked 68th, a place below Chinese Taipei and just one above Papua New Guinea.

Sevens, however, looks likely to supply a quicker route to the world stage.

China already has a notable presence in that regard with the annual Hong Kong Sevens, but there is also a push for a tournament on the mainland, potentially in Shanghai.

Gosper suggests that could initially take the form of an end-of-season sevens event away from the official calendar.

"Obviously a sevens team can get up to a competitive standard more quickly than XVs," the Australian says. "I think in four years' time we'll see China there with a men's and women's team."

That, in part, is expected to be helped by an influx of overseas players and more experienced rugby coaches, as has been the custom with China's top football clubs.

Such a practice has also helped Japan's national team rise as a rugby power -- in 2015 it shocked two-time champion South Africa at the World Cup, and last year its sevens team reached the semifinals of the Olympic men's tournament in Rio. Both squads were a mix of local and naturalized overseas players.

'English-style olive ball'

Despite its low numbers, rugby has a relatively lengthy history in China. It dates back to 1867 in Shanghai, where a version of the game is first thought to have been played, although it took until the first decade of the 20th century for the city to have its first dedicated rugby club.

Much of the playing numbers in China had previously been in the military, seen as a perfect backdrop for training soldiers.

A professional XVs club league is planned for 2018, while the spread of the sport will be aided by being televised on CCTV5 and E platforms through Alisports.

But for now it doesn't pay. Rugby players with the few top sides earn the equivalent of $500 a month playing a game which literally translates as "English-style olive ball" in Mandarin.

Despite that, "olive ball" looks here to stay in China. What price on it being a World Cup host and even champion in the decades to come?

CNN's George Ramsay and Christina Macfarlane contributed to this report

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china's $100m rugby revolution gathers pace - cnn

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China's $100M rugby revolution gathers pace

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"The numbers in China are obviously mind-boggling," World Rugby CEO Brett Gosper tells CNN. "As a nation, it's the No. 1 target not just for sport but all businesses. "We have a fixed objective of one million players in 10 years, but that's being readjusted by the federation to five years I believe.

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阿里巴巴拟将橄榄球引进中国

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阿里巴巴拟将橄榄球引进中国

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阿里巴巴拟将橄榄球引进中国

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阿里体育与世界橄榄球联合会签署赞助协议，其在线平台获得橄榄球赛独家转播权

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英媒 阿里巴巴拟将橄榄球引入中国

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英媒 阿里巴巴拟将橄榄球引入中国

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Eating nutritious foods and the right drinks can help you perform better on the playing field. Learn how to eat for sports by reading this article for kids.

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By Dan H. | 17th November 2017

Rugby has developed something of a reputation for injuries over the years. But while there will always be risks associated with contact sports, rugby actually offers a surprising range of health benefits.

What Makes Rugby So Beneficial?

While all forms of physical activity can positively impact health, rugby is noted for combining a hugely diverse range of physical activities. Firstly, rugby players cover a surprising distance in each match, at varying speeds. Some studies, in which rugby players were monitored with GPS transponders, suggest that they may travel 5km or more over the course of a match.

Secondly, activity levels can vary wildly during a match; ranging from standing still, to walking, jogging and even full-on sprints. This range of intensity levels also offers unique health benefits.

Depending on your position, rugby can incorporate both aerobic activity like jogging with anaerobic exercise such as during a scrum. As the current government-recommended guidelines for exercise include both aerobic and resistance training on a weekly basis, rugby has the potential to address all these needs.

Lastly, rugby is a "whole body" sport that exercises all major muscle groups. While much of the game may be spent exercising the lower body, elements of the game such as throwing the ball also incorporate upper body and core strength elements. In brief, therefore, one of the key benefits of playing rugby is that it offers a complete exercise regime

Here are some more specific benefits of playing rugby...

Cardiovascular Health

Routine aerobic activities like jogging have been shown to help support a healthy cardiovascular system. Rugby players run, throw, tackle and sprint, which encourages the heart and lungs to function more effectively. This not only makes future exercise less stressful but can also lead to long term benefits.

In evidence of this, one study of 100 university students put them through systematic physical training, with their pulse rate being monitored before, during and after exercise. The scientists found that those individuals who regularly played rugby experienced lower pulse rates than those not taking part in regular physical activity. These results support the notion that rugby helps to support a healthy heart and maintain heart rates within reasonable limits.

Weight Management

Rugby is not a "steady state" sport like long-distance running, where intensity levels remain roughly equal throughout the exercise period. Instead, rugby is characterised by bouts of intense physical activity followed by brief "rest" periods. This is the very definition of a training philosophy known as "high intensity interval training" or HIIT for short.

According to the American College of Sports Medicine one of the key benefits of HIIT is "reduced abdominal and subcutaneous fat". Of course, playing rugby alone isn't enough to lose weight, but when combined with a calorie-controlled diet the evidence suggests that it can definitely contribute to reductions in body fat.

Insulin Sensitivity

According to Diabetes UK there are an estimated 4.5 million people in the UK suffering from diabetes. Of these, 90% are thought to have type 2 diabetes - the form that develops with age and may be impacted by lifestyle choices. A key factor in the appearance of diabetes is the body's sensitivity to insulin. Fortunately, physical activity like rugby has been shown to directly impact how the body responds to insulin, thus reducing the likelihood of suffering from insulin-dependent diabetes with age.

Inflammation Control

Inflammation is implicated in a huge range of different health conditions, from atherosclerosis to arthritis. Finding ways to limit and control inflammation in the body therefore has the potential to keep us healthier for longer, and reduces the chances of suffering from inflammation-led conditions.

Most forms of exercise have the ability to help control inflammation in the body, but one particular study assessed the specific impacts of playing rugby on inflammation. Participants in the study engaged in 40 minutes of rugby per day for a week. Thereafter, blood tests were taken to measure symptoms of inflammation, and showed significant changes. The scientists concluded that rugby may help to "assist in the acute regulation of glucose disposal and inflammatory cytokines".

Muscular Endurance

Rugby training is focused around explosive power such as is found in sprinters meaning that rugby can be a great way to strip fat and develop lean muscle. Add the element of tackling and powering through in the scrum and you have a full body workout every time you train or play a game of rugby.

Stress Relief

Long term stress can lead to a variety of health problems. Just a few of these include insomnia and stomach problems, and some research has even linked prolonged stress to cancer and diabetes. Team games such as rugby have been shown as a means of reducing stress. Studies by psychologists have pointed to improvements in mood in direct response to physical sport, with all forms seemingly leading to stress relief. It is believed that rugby acts both as an outlet for your frustrations, as well as releasing "feel good" hormones known as endorphins.

Improved Mood

Sport, in general, has been shown to have a positive effect on mental health, helping with depression and anxiety. The endorphins released can also create a positive "buzz" after exercise, while some studies have even found evidence that physical exercise has the ability to improve creative thought.

In Conclusion

The benefits of rugby are many and varied, including potential improvements in mood, creativity, heart health and inflammation. Little wonder then that rugby is such a popular sport, despite the potential risk of injury. If you're looking for a new sport that offers a huge range of health benefits then rugby might be just what you're seeking.

Sources:

http://shapeamerica.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02640414.2013.823220#.Wg1jfFVl9QI
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/026404198366524
http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/31/3/240.short
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00421-012-2361-5
http://jap.physiology.org/content/14/4/635.short
http://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Abstract/2012/11000/Running_Demands_and_Heart_Rate_Responses_in_Men.34.aspx
http://journals.lww.com/acsm-healthfitness/Fulltext/2013/05000/High_Intensity_Interval_Training___Efficient,.3.aspx
https://link.springer.com/article/10.2165/00007256-199520030-00001

Article by Dan H.

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Health Benefits Of Playing Rugby | Simply Supplements

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By Dan H. | 17th November 2017 Rugby has developed something of a reputation for injuries over the years. But while there will always be risks associated with contact sports, rugby actually offers a surprising range of health benefits. While all forms of physical activity can positively impact health, rugby is noted for combining a hugely diverse range of physical activities.

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Make you stronger and good at more health sports

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Make you stronger and good at more health sports

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Getting kids off the sofa and onto the rugby pitch brings a wide variety of physical, mental and social skills which will bode well for them as they reach adulthood and beyond.

And obviously, we would say that. But in order to prove our point, we've compiled no less than 15 reasons why kids need to grow up playing rugby union.

1. Improve physical health

Forgive us for starting with the obvious, but rugby brings physical health benefits to anyone who takes to the field - and children are no different.

2. Develop social skills

Developing social skills is another huge part of parenting, and one that again needs to be developed at a young age if the benefits are to be reaped in the future.

3. They need to lose

Because it is character building, because it's good practice for life, because he will get over it and he needs to know that.

4. They need to win

Because it's bonding, because it feels good, because he needs to know that there are rewards for effort.

5. Equal Opportunities

Unlike just about any other team sport, rugby is about all players having the same opportunity to run with the ball, pass the ball, and play defense.

CONTINUES ON PAGE TWO

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15 reasons why children SHOULD play Rugby Union

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Getting kids off the sofa and onto the rugby pitch brings a wide variety of physical, mental and social skills which will bode well for them as they reach adulthood and beyond. And obviously, we would say that. But in order to prove our point, we've compiled no less than 15 reasons why kids need to grow up playing rugby union.

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This might help you understand how exercise is good for you.

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When most adults think about exercise, they imagine working out in the gym, running on a treadmill, or lifting weights.

But for kids, exercise means playing and being physically active. Kids exercise when they have gym class at school, during recess, at dance class or soccer practice, while riding bikes, or when playing tag.

The Many Benefits of Exercise

Everyone can benefit from regular exercise. Active kids will have:

Besides enjoying the health benefits of regular exercise, fit kids sleep better. Exercise improves school performance and makes kids less likely to develop depression. Kids who exercise regularly are also better able to handle physical and emotional challenges - from running to catch a bus to studying for a test.

The 3 Elements of Fitness

If you've ever watched kids on a playground, you've seen the 3 elements of fitness in action when they:

1. run away from the kid who's "it" (endurance)

2. cross the monkey bars (strength)

3. bend down to tie their shoes (flexibility)

Parents should encourage their kids to do a variety of activities so that they can work on all these.

Endurance develops when kids regularly get

aerobicactivity. During aerobic exercise, large muscles are moving, the heart beats faster, and a person breathes harder. Aerobic activity strengthens the heart and improves the body's ability to deliver oxygen to all its cells.

Aerobic exercise can be fun for both adults and kids. Aerobic activities include:

Improving strength doesn't have to mean lifting weights. Instead, kids can do push-ups, stomach crunches, pull-ups, and other exercises to help tone and strengthen muscles. They also improve their strength when they climb, do a handstand, or wrestle. Muscle strengthening and aerobic exercises like running, jumping, and hopping, also help build strong bones.

Stretching exercises help improve flexibility, allowing muscles and joints to bend and move easily through their full range of motion. Kids get chances every day to stretch when they reach for a toy, practice a split, or do a cartwheel. Dance, yoga, and martial arts, like karate, are examples of flexibility activities.

The Sedentary Problem

Kids and teens sit around a lot more than they used to. They spend hours every day in front of screens ( TVs, smartphones, computers, tablets, and gaming systems). Too much screen time and not enough physical activity can add up to unwanted weight gain.

One of the best ways to get kids to be more active is to limit the amount of time spent in sedentary activities, especially watching TV and using phones. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that parents:

Put limits on the time spent using media, which includes TV, social media, and video games. Media should not take the place of getting enough sleep and being active.

Limit screen time to 1 hour a day or less for children 2 to 5 years old.

Discourage any screen time, except video-chatting, for kids younger than 18 months.

Choose high-quality programming and watch it with your kids to help them understand what they're seeing.

Keep TVs, computers, tablets, phones, and video games out of children's bedrooms.

Turn off screens during mealtimes.

How Much Exercise Is Enough?

Parents and caregivers can help ensure that kids are active every day. In its Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends:

for school-age kids and teens (6 through 17 years): 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily. This should include muscle-strengthening and bone-strengthening activities at least 3 days a week.

for preschoolers: active playing throughout the day. A set amount of time hasn't been well defined, but a reasonable target could be 3 hours each day of light, moderate, and vigorous activities. These should include unstructured active free play and planned, adult-led physical activity.

Children under age 3 were not included in these guidelines, but exercise guidelines from Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom recommend toddlers be active at least 3 hours throughout the day. This should include light activity, active play, and energetic movement, like hopping, running, and jumping.

Young children should not be inactive for long periods of time - no more than 1 hour unless they're sleeping. And school-age kids should not be inactive for periods longer than 2 hours.

Raising Fit Kids

To help keep kids fit and active:

Help your kids do a variety of fun age-appropriate activities.

Set a regular schedule for physical activity.

Make being active a part of daily life, like taking the stairs instead of the elevator.

Embrace a healthier lifestyle yourself, so you'll be a good role model for your family.

Be active together as a family.

Keep it fun, so your kids will come back for more.

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Besides enjoying the health benefits of regular exercise, kids who are physically fit are better able to handle physical and emotional challenges.