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Today, there are many organisations using rugby and sport to benefit wider society and operating from the grassroots to the global level.In 2016, World Rugby launched its Spirit of Rugby programme which invited organisations using rugby as a tool for societal development to submit applications for rugby projects that could benefit from the support of World Rugby, be it through the provision of resources, access to stakeholders, profile-raising opportunities and financial grants.Rugby, with its core values of discipline, respect, integrity, passion and solidarity, has long been recognised as an ideal driver to effect social change.A high calibre of applications across a range of social themes (including peace building, education, health, inclusion, gender equity and environmental sustainability) were received and assessed. From these, five organisations (see right) were selected and invited to become World Rugby Spirit of Rugby partners in 2017.To find out more and to keep up to date with World Rugby’s Spirit of Rugby programme and partners, please visit worldrugby.org/spirit-of-rugby.TEAM CHINA is a long-term strategic partnership between World Rugby, Alibaba (through its Alisports division) and the Chinese Rugby Football Association. It will see the e-commerce giant make a record rugby investment to support targeted projects over the next 10 years to drive national team performance and grow the participation base in the world’s most populous nation.With rugby experiencing record participation growth and popularity across Asia, driven by rugby sevens’ Olympic Games inclusion and Japan’s hosting of Rugby World Cup 2019, the project will initially focus on four main goals: • Establishment of first-ever professional men’s and women’s 15s leagues and national sevens programmes to drive forward China as a powerhouse on the international stage by creating dedicated high-performance pathways and support structures • World Rugby’s Get Into Rugby mass participation programme to be run in 10,000 universities Professional league structures and an ambitious mass participation programme supported by an unprecedented 10-year US$100 million investment programme are at the heart of a ground-breaking TEAM CHINA initiative announced in 2016 aimed at unlocking the rugby potential of China.WORLD RUGBY COMMITTED TO RUGBY DEVELOPMENT IN CHINA• A major rugby marketing and promotion initiative that will see Alisports invest in nationwide marketing and promotional programmes while carrying rugby content on its TV and digital platforms and Alibaba, the world’s biggest e-commerce platform. and schools in 20 provinces with the target of attracting and retaining one million new players over the next five years• Development programmes to achieve the recruitment and training of 30,000 coaches and 15,000 match officials by 2020PICTUREDRugby has huge potential for growth in ChinaTHE SPIRIT OF RUGBYJungle Crows www.junglecrows.orgRio Rugby FC www.riorugby.com.brSOS Kit Aid www.soskitaid.comTerres en Mêlées www.terres-en-melees.comTrust Rugby International www.trustrugby.org10,000 Chinese universities and schools set to host Get Into Rugby programmesINFORM | NEWS12 WORLD RUGBY YEAR IN REVIEW 2016